PRINCETON,     N.    J. 


Sectix  n 

j    ShelJ V  .v.C~.. 


V 


rh'AND  Book  of  Bible  Geography. 


S.  5.  UNION   CARLTON  i-  LANAHAN,  200  Mulberry  SI. .New  York. 


PH8TIH1TS0  00    |  »  (Ostoci 


TOPICS  FOR  TEACHERS: 


A  MANUAL   FOK 


MINISTERS,  BIBLE-CLASS  LEADERS,  AND  SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL  TEACHERS. 


BY     JAMES     COMPER    GRAY, 

AUTHOK.  OF  "  THE  CLASS  AND  THE  DESK." 


VOL-.   II.  — A  R  T— RELIGION 


NEW  YORK : 

CARLTON     &     LANAHAN. 

SAN  FRANCISCO :  E.  THOMAS. 

CINCINNATI:   HITCHCOCK    &   WALDEN. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  II. 


Oriental  Manners  and  Customs 


SECTION  III.— ART. 


Topic 


Page       Topic 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


Personal  Life. 


10'.). 
170. 
171. 
172. 
173. 
17-1. 

176. 


Sleep  - 
Dress  - 

Amusements 
Ablutions  - 

Perfumery  - 
Occupations 


Domestic  Life. 

Dwellings,— Tents,  etc. 

Dwellings,— Houses    - 

Furniture   - 

Food   .... 

Bread,  No.  1       -        - 

Bread,  No.  2 

Marriage     - 

Sickness      ... 

Death  .... 

Embalming 

Burial          ... 


Industrial  Life. 


Husbandry  - 

Shepherding 

Hunting 

Sowing 

Harvest 

Vintage 

Building 


Presents 
Salutations 
Travelling  - 
Money 
Commerce  - 
Banquets  - 
Hospitality- 


42 

193. 

46 

48 

199. 
200. 
201. 

202. 

203. 

50 

204. 

52 

56 

205. 

58 

206. 

Subject.  Page 

Civil  Life. 

Magistrates         -        -        -        -  64 

Causes  -  -  -  -  -  66 
Courts  of  Justice        -        -        -68 

Cities  of  Kefuge          ...  70 

Punishments       -        -        -        -  72 

Royal  Life. 

Ceremonials    '    -        -        -        -  74 

Insignia 76 

State  Officers                                 -  78 

Palaces 80 

Warrior  Life. 

Armour,  No.  1  -  -  -  -  82 
Armour,  No.  2  -  -  -  -  84 
Chariots  -----  86 
Army  -  -  -  -  •  -  88 
Standards  -----  !)0 
Sieges  ------    92 

Battles 94 

Prisoners    -----     96 

Polit'Cal  Life. 
Jerusalem  (Ancient)  -  -  -  98 
Jerusalem  (Modern)  -  -  -  100 
Damascus  -  -  -  -  -  102 
Cities  of  Galilee  -  -  -  -  104 
Cities  of  Samaria  ...  lot; 
Cities  of  Judah  -  •-  -  -  108 
Cities  of  the  Wilderness  -  -110 
Babylon,  Nineveh  -  -  -  112 
Cities  of  Asia  .Minor  -  -  -  114 
Cities  of  Greece  -  -  -  -  116 
Cites  of  the  Coast      -        -         •  1  IS 

Koine 120 

Fine  Arts. 

Mus'c 122 

Poetry 124 

Writing 126 

Pa  uting,  Sculpture    -  128 


Topic 


SECTION 

Subject. 


IV.— KELIGION. 


THE    FALSE. 
Idolatry. 

209.  Creature  Worship      -  -  -  130 

210.  Image  Worship  -        -  -  -  132 

211.  Teachers  of  the  False-  -  -134 

212.  Heathen  Temples       -  -  -  136 

THE  TRUE. 
Patriarchal  Times. 

213.  Primitive  Sacrifice      -        -        -  138 

214.  Dreams,  Visions         ...  140 

Levitical  Times. 

215.  Priests 142 

216.  Levites        -        -        -        -        -  144 

217.  Tabernacle 146 

218.  The  Ark 148 

219.  Furniture  of  Tabernacle    -       -  150 

220.  Festivals 152 

221.  Sacrifices    -----  154 

222.  The  First  Temple       -        -        -  150 

223.  The  Second  Temple    -        -        -  15S 

224.  Synagogue 160 

Christian  Dispensation. 

225.  Christ,  Birth,  etc.      -        -        -  162 

226.  ,,  Teachings  -        -        -  164 

227.  „  Miracles-  -        -        -  166 

228.  „  Character  -        -        -  168 

229.  „  Last  Days  ...  170 

230.  Apostles      -  -        -        -  172 

231.  Peter,  and  the  Jews  -        -        -  174 

232.  Paul,  and  the  Gentiles       -        -  176 

Sacred  Writings. 

233.  Bible— Historical  Books    -        -  178 
234  „        Poetical  Books        -        -  ISO 

235.  „        Prophetical  Books  -        -  1S2 

236.  New  Testament — History  -        -  184 

237.  ,,  ,,  Epistles  -        -  1S6 

238.  Predictions — Nations-        -        -  1S8 

239.  „  Cities     -        -        -  100 

240.  „  Persons-        -        -  192 

Christian  Ethics. 

241.  Truth 194 


Top 

c                      Subject. 

Page 

242. 

Falsehood  - 

-  193 

243. 

Pride  - 

-  198 

244. 

Envy  ... 

-  200 

245. 

Covetousness 

. 

-  202 

246. 

Forgiveness 

. 

-  204 

247. 

Patience 

-  206 

248. 

Hypociisy  - 

. 

-  208 

249. 

Justice 

. 

-  210 

250. 

Slander 

-  212 

251. 

Conscientiousness 

. 

-  214 

252. 

Humility    - 

-  216 

Christian  Theology. 

253. 

God-  Existence  - 

. 

-  213 

254. 

„     Attributes,  No.  1 

-  220 

255. 

„     Attributes,  No.  2 

-  222 

256. 

Christ— Divinity 

- 

-  224 

257. 

,,         Offices    - 

- 

-  226 

258. 

Titles      - 

-  228 

259. 

Holy  Spirit— Personality  - 

-  230 

260. 

„        Offices 

etc.    - 

-  233 

261. 

Angels 

-  234 

262. 

Satan  ... 

. 

-  236 

263. 

Man— Physical   - 

. 

-  238 

264. 

,,      Spiritual  - 

. 

-  240 

265. 

„      His  Fall   - 

. 

-  242 

2U6. 

Repentance 

. 

-  244 

267. 

Faith  - 

. 

-  246 

268. 

Regeneration 

. 

-  248 

269. 

Conversion  - 

-  250 

270. 

Adoption    - 

-  252 

271. 

Christ'an  Progress 

. 

-  254 

272. 

Salification     - 

. 

-  256 

273. 

Resurrection 

. 

-  258 

274. 

The  Judgment    - 

. 

-  260 

275. 

Heaven 

-  262 

276. 

Hell    - 

- 

-  264 

Connecting  Links. 

277. 

The  Creation 

. 

-  266 

278. 

The  Deluge 

- 

-  268 

279. 

The  Dispersion  - 

- 

-  370 

280 

The  Abrahamic  Covenant  - 

-  272 

281. 

The  Exodus 

. 

-  274 

282. 

The  Conquest  of  Canaan    - 

-  273 

283. 

The  Division  of  the 

Kingdom 

-  278 

2S4. 

The  Captivities  - 

-  280 

2S5. 

Connexion  of  Old  & 

New  Test 

-  282 

386. 

Planting  of  Christianity    - 

-  284 

287. 

Church  Militant 

- 

-  286 

288. 

Church  Triumphant 

- 

-  288 

LIST    OF    MAPS. 


1.  K  ngdoms  of  Judah  and  Israel     - 

6.  Palestine  in  the  tin  e  of  our  Saviour 

7.  Jerusalem  and  its  Environs 

8.  The  Travels  of  St.  Paul    - 


to  face  page  1 


(Drmtfal  ^Manners  tm&  Customs. 


(Introductory  Note  ) — The  manners  and  customs  of  the  East  are, 
■with  few  exceptions,  almost  precisely  the  same  now,  that  they  were 
at  the  call  of  Abram.  The  same  habits  and  modes  of  life  are  seen 
in  our  time  by  the  Oriental  traveller  that  inspired  writers  described, 
in  some  instances,  thousands  of  years  ago.  This  curious  fact  may  be 
traced,  in  part,  to  the  absence  of  many  of  those  disturbing  influences 
which  have  so  greatly  affected  the  state  of  society  in  western  nations. 
Repeated  conquests,  resulting  in  the  importation  of  the  language  and 
arts  of  the  victors,  and  their  speedy  adoption  and  ultimate  improve- 
ment by  the  subjected  nation  ;  the  free  intercourse  of  hurdy  and  en- 
ergetic races  whose  lands  are  contiguous  to  each  other  ;  crowded  terri- 
tories— necessitating,  and  the  genius  of  their  peoples  prompting  the 
exploration  and  settlement  of  distant  lands  ;  strong  governments — 
developing  national  resources,  and  individual  love  of  good  order  and 
justice  ;  popular  education — rendering  men  more  skilled  in  labour, 
and  teaching  the  commercial  worth  of  the  raw  material ;  invention 
— increasing  labour  power,  and  multiplying  the  triumphs  of  manu- 
facturing and  commercial  enterprise, — things  which  are  the  ele- 
ments of  change,  and  ultimately  the  effects  and  causes  of  progress, 
— are  almost  unknown  in  those  districts  of  the  great  Asiatic  conti- 
nent where  lived  the  men  whose  lives  are  contained,  and  where 
were  transacted  the  incidents  and  histories  of  which  we  have  the 
record,  in  the  Word  of  God.  But  chief  among  the  causes  of  this 
fact  must  be  placed  the  hand  of  Providence  in  the  fulfilment  of 
prophecy.  Hence  the  East  is  a  museum  in  which  are  still  preserved, 
in  all  their  freshness,  the  living  forms  of  olden  things.  In  it  are 
pitched  the  tents  of  the  descendants  of  Abraham,  "  at  whose  doors 
are  the  same  greetings  and  farewells,  and  whose  folds  enclose  the 
same  domestic  manners  and  modes  of  life  which  marked  the  people 
nearly  4000  years  ago.  Not  to  observe  such  resemblance  would  be 
impossible ;  "  to  refuse  to  do  so,"  says  Dr.  Stanley  [Jewish  Church, 
vol.  i.  p.  11),  "  would  be  to  decline  the  use  of  what  we  may  almost 
call  a  singular  gift  of  Providence."  "  The  unchanged  habits  of  the 
East,"  he  continues,  "  render  it,  in  this  respect,  a  kind  of  living 
Pompeii.  The  outward  appearances, — which  in  the  case  of  the 
Greeks  and  Romans  we  know  only  through  art  and  writing,  through 
marble,  fresco,  and  parchment, — in  the  case  of  Jewish  history  we 
know  through  the  forms  of  actual  men,  living  and  moving  before 
us,  speaking  in  almost  the  same  language,  and  certainly  with  the 
same  general  terms  of  speech  and  tone  and  manners.  Such  as  we 
see  them  now  starting  on  a  pilgrimage  or  a  journey,  were  Abraham 
and  his  sister's  son  when  they  '  went  forth '  to  go  into  the  land  of 
Canaan Even  the  ordinary  social  state  is  the  same  :  poly- 
gamy, slavery,  the  exclusiveness  of  family  ties  ;  the  period  of  ser- 
vice for  the  dowry  of  a  wife  ;  the  solemn  obligations  of  hospitality  ; 
the  temptations — easily  followed — into  craft  or  falsehood." 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Sleep,  etc]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Personal 

I.  Scientific— [Sleep.]   1.  Nature  :  "  That  state  of  suspension 
of  the  sensory  and  motor  functions  wh.  appears  to  alternate  in  all 
animals  with  the  active  condition  of  those  functions."  {Carpenter; 
see  art.  Sleep,  Todd's  Ency.  of  Ana- 
tomy, etc.)      While  these  functions 
are  susp.,  the  organic — respiratory, 
cardiac,  etc. — functions  proceed  with 
equal  uniformity,  sleeping  or  waking 
Eastern  Bed.  [A.-S.    sla-pan  ;    old    Ger.  slafan  ; 

Ger.  schlafan;  Goth,  slepan  ;  fr.  old  Ger.  slaf=  relaxed ;  Ice. 
slapa  —  to  hang  loose].  "  Sleep  is  Death's  younger  brother,  and  so 
like  him  that  I  never  dare  trust  him  without  my  prayers."  {Sir  T. 
Brown.)  2.  Use  :  Exercise  of  an.  func.  destructive  of  tissues  of 
organs  wh.  minister  to  them ;  if  this  waste  were  not  repaired,  they 
would  soon  become  useless  ;  it  is  on  the  nutritive  regeneration  of  the 
tissues  wh.  takes  place  during  healthy  sleep  that  its  refreshing 
power  depends. 

"  Tired  nature's  sweet  restorer,  balmy  sleep  ! 
****** 
"When  tir'd  with  vain  rotations  of  the  day, 
Sleep  winds  us  up  for  the  succeeding  dawn."  {Young.) 
(Ecc.  v.  12.)  "  God  gives  sleep  to  the  bad,  in  order  that  tho 
good  may  be  undisturbed."  {Sadi.)  "  Life's  nurse,  sent  fr.  heaven 
to  create  us  anew  day  by  <Jay."  ( C.  Reade  )  "  There  is  no  fact  move 
clearly  established  in  the  physiology  of  man  than  this,  that  the  brain 
expends  its  energies  and  itself  during  the  hours  of  wakefulness,  and 
that  these  are  recuperated  during  s.  If  the  recuperation  does  not 
equal  the  expenditure,  the  brain  withers — this  is  insanity.  Thus  it 
is  that  in  early  English  history,  persons  who  were  condemned  to 
death  by  being  prevented  from  s.,  always  died  raving  maniacs;  and 
thus  it  is,  also,  that  those  who  are  starved  to  death  become  insane, — 
the  brain  is  not  nourished,  and  they  cannot  s.  The  practical  in- 
ferences are  these  : — 1.  Those  who  think  most,  who  do  most  brain- 
work,  require  most  s.  2.  Time  '  saved '  fr.  necessary  s.  is  in- 
fallibly destructive  to  mind,  body,  and  estate."  3.  Time  :  Night, 
natural  period  for  men  and  most  animals  (exceptions,  creatures  of 
nocturnal  habits)  ;  cessation  of  toil,  enforced  by  darkness,  gives  the 
opportunity  for  all  to  sleep  at  once.  The  silence  invites  slumber. 
A  good  rule  to  retire  to  rest  early,  and  rise  the  moment  you  awake  ; 
nature  will  soon  decide  what  time  for  s.  is  needed  in  each  case. 
Some  need  but  little  s. ;  Gen.  Eliott  (of  Gibraltar  celebrity)  found 
4  hrs.  out  of  24  enough.  The  young,  who  are  growing  ;  and  ayed, 
through  deficient  energy  of  nutritive  process,  need  a  larger  amount 
of  s.  (See  also  Copland's  Diet,  of  Medicine,  art.  Sleep;  and  Macnish, 
Philosophy  of  Sleep.) 

II.  Bible  References. — [Sleep]  given  by  God  (Ge.  ii.  21 ;    IS. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Sleep,  etc. 

xxvi.  12  j  Ps.  cxxvii.  2) ;  often  deep  (Ge.  xv.  12  ;  Job  iv.  13,  xxxiii.  1.5  ; 
Dan.  viii.  18,  x.  9;  Lu.  ix.  32);  refreshes  (Ps.  iv.  8,  lxxviii.  65;  Pr.  iii.  21 ; 
Mat.  xxvi.  45  ;  Mk.  xiv.  41) ;  sweet  (Pr.  iii.  24,  vi.  22  ;  Ecc.  v.  12  ;  Jer. 
xxxi.  26);  unseasonable  (Pr.  xx.  13;  Mat.  xxvi.  45;  Mk.  xiv.  41;  Lu. 
xxii.  46)  ;  of  slothful  (Pr.  vi.  9,  10,  xix.  15)  ;  duty  first  (Ps.  cxxxii.  4  ; 
Pr.  vi.  4)  ;  prevented  (Ecc.  v.  12) ;  sleeplessness  (Ge.  xxxi.  40  :  Est.  vi. 
1  ;  Pr.  iv.  16  ;  Dan.  ii.  1,  vi.  18)  ;  waking  from  (Ps.  xliv.  23  ;  Zech. 
iv.  1 ;  Mat.  i.  24;  Jo.  xi.  11;  Ac.  xvi.  27).  Examples :  Adam  (Ge.  ii.  2i)  ; 
Abram  (xv.  12)  ;  Jacob  (xxviii.  11-16)  ;  Sisera  (Jud.  iv.  21)  ;  Samson 
(xvi.  14,  20)  ;  Samuel  (1  S.  iii.  3)  ;  Saul  (xxvi.  27)  ;  Jonah  (Jon.  i.  5,  6) ; 
Jesus  (Mat.  viii.  24  ;  Mk.  iv.  38);  Peter  (Mk.  xiv.  37;  Ac.  xii.  6) ;  Stephen 
(vii.  60)  ;  Eutychus  (xx.  9.)  [Early  Rising.]  Uses  :  Redeeming  time 
(Eph.  v.  16);  devotion  (Ps.  v.  3,  lix.  16,  lxiii.  11,  xxxviii.  13;  Is. 
xxvi.  9)  ;  duty  (Ge.  xxii.  3;  Pr.  xxxi.  15)  ;  neglect  (Pr.  vi.  9-11)  ;  misuse 
(Pr.  xxvii.  14;  Isa.  v.  11;  Zep.  iii.  7;  Mic.  ii.  1).  Examples:  Jesus 
(Mk.  i.  35  ;  Lu.  xxi.  28  ;  Jo.  viii.  2) ;  Abraham  (Ge.  xix.  27)  ;  Isaac 
(xxvi.  31) ;  Jacob  (xxviii.  18) ;  Joshua  (Jos.  iii.  1) ;  Gideon  (Jud.  vi.  3S); 
Samuel  (1  S.  xv.  12)  ;  David  (xvii.  20}  ;  Elisha's  servant  (2  K.  vi.  15); 
Mary  (Mk.  xvi.  2);  apostles  (Ac.  v.  21). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [Sleep.]  III.  l. 
State  of  sin  (Ro.  xiii.  11 ;  1  Cor.  xi.  30  ;  Eph.  v.  14  ;  1  Thess.  v.  6-10). 
2.  Judicial  indifference  (Isa.  xxix.  10,  lvi.  10).  3.  Divine  care  (Ps. 
iv.  8,  cxxi.  3-5,  cxxvii.  2).  "  One  asked  Alexander  how  he  could  s.  so 
soundly  and  securely  in  the  midst  of  danger  ;  he  told  them  he  might  well 
s.  when  Parmenio  watched.  How  securely  may  they  s.  over  whom  Me 
watches."  {Venning.)  4.  Death  (1  K.  i.  21 ;  Job  vii.  21  ;  Ps.  xiii.  3,  lxxvi. 
5,  xc.  5 ;  Jer.  Ii.  39  ;  Dan.  xii.  2  ;  Mai.  ix.  24,  xxvii.  52  ;  Mk.  v.  39  ; 
Lu.  viii.  52 ;  Jo.  xi.  13  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  51  ;  1  Thess.  iv.  14).  [Early  Rising.] 
III.  spiritual  diligence  (Ro.  xiii.  11,  12). 

"  Sloth  lay  till  midday,  turning  on  his  couch, 
Like  ponderous  door  upon  its  weary  hinge  ; 
And  having  rolled  him  out,  with  much  ado, 
And  many  a  dismal  sigh,  and  vain  attempt, 
He  sauntered  out,  accoutred  carelessly — 
With  half-oped,  misty,  unobservant  eye, 
Somniferous,  that  weighed  the  object  down 
On  which  its  burden  fell — an  hour  or  two  ; 
Then  with  a  groan  retired  to  rest  again."     (Pollock.) 
Saying  as  he  does  so,  "  Now  blessings  light  on  him  that  first  invented 
sleep !     It  covers  a  man  all  over,  thoughts  and  all,  like  a  cloak ;  it  is 
meat  for  the  hungry,  drink  for  the  thirsty,  heat  for  the  cold,  and  cold  for 
the  hot."  (Cervantes.) 

IV.  Practical  Lessons. — 1.  Thank  God  for  s.,  and  the  means  (as 
night)  that  promote  it.  2.  Work  hard,  and  do  right,  that  you  may  s. 
sound.  3.  Spend  no  more  time  in  s.  than  is  needful.  4.  s.,  a  Divine 
gift,  often  spoiled  by  bad  habits.  5.  Guard  against  the  s.  of  indifference 
and  sin.     6.  Prepare  for  the  sleep  of  death,  for 

"  Only  the  actions  of  the  just 
Smell  sweet,  and  blossom  in  the  dust."         (Shirleg.) 


TOriC'S    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Dress.] 


HJAXXtMS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Personal 


Ordinary  Costume. 


I.  Historical  and  Descriptive.— 1  Material:  Fig-leaves 
(Ge.  iii.  7);  skins  (21);  anc.  sculptures  indicate  sheep-skin  coats. 
Prob.  Elijah's  mantle  was  a  skin  (1  K.  xix.  13,  19  ;  2  K.  i.  8,  ii.  8,  13, 
14,  cf.  Zee.  xiii.  4;  Heb.  xi.  37).  Sack- 
cloth was  made  of  hair  (Rev.  vi.  12). 
Camel's  hair  (Mat.  iii.  4).  Wool  (Pr. 
xxvii.26;  Ez.  xxxiv.3).  Linen  (Lev. xi. 
10,  xiii.  47-4  9;  Est.  viii.  15.  See  Flax). 
Prob.  to  enforce  simplicity  and  purity, 
wool  and  linen  together,  proscribed 
(Lev.  xix.  19;  Deu.  xxii.  11).  Cotton 
(Est.  i.  6 ;  carpas,  trans,  green  =  cot- 
ton). Silk  (Rev.  xviii.  12 ;  in  Ge.  xli. 
42,  mart/.,  and,  Pr.  xxxi.  2,  silk  =  fine 
linen).  2.  Articles  of  d.  :  (1)  Tunic: 
Heb.,  khethoneth,  or  khuttoneth  =  Gk. 
chiton  (Ac.  ix.  39),  a  loose  inner  gar- 
ment =  our  shirt :  of  wool,  linen,  or 
cotton.  Often  worn  alone,  confined 
with  girdle ;  one  so  dressed  was  called 
naked,  as  Saul  (IS.  xix.  24),  Isaiah 
(Is.  xx.  2,  3),  Peter  (Jo.  xxi.  7).  Hence,  "  naked  "  sig.  with  one 
garment,  i.  e.,  a  poor  man  (Job  xxii.  6 ;  Is.  lvii.  7).  Usually  it  was 
of  2  pieces  of  cloth,  sewed  together  :  when  woven  whole,  was  greatly 
esteemed  (Jo.  xix.  23).  The  girdle  (2  K.  iv.  29  ;  Jo.  xxi.  7)  of  poor, 
leather ;  of  rich,  other  material,  embroidered  (Pr.  xxxi.  24 ;  Is.  iii. 
24;  Ez.  xvi.  10).  Used  for  carrying  knife  (2  S.  xx.  8),  pouch  (1  S. 
xxv.  13;  Mat.  x.  9),  or  inkhorn  of  scribe  (Ez.  ix.  2).  (2)  Cloak; 
Heb.,  me'il,  upper  tunic,  worn  over  the  other,  hence  "two  coats" 
(Mat.  x.  10;  Lu.  iii.  11).  The  me'il  is  called  "cloak,"  "mantle," 
"robe"  (Ex.  xxxix.  22 ;  1  S.  ii.  19,  xv.  27,  xviii.  4,  xxiv.  4,  11, 
xxviii.  14;  1  Ch.  xv.  27;  Job  i.  20,  ii.  12),  and  may  =  any  upper 
garment.  Might  not  be  taken  by  a  creditor  (Ex.  xxii.  26,  27),  as 
the  tunic  could  (Mat.  v.  40).  (3)  Hyke :  a  large  woollen  strip,  ab. 
6  yds.  long  by  6  ft.  broad.  In  fine  weather  worn  over  shoulders, 
the  2  ends  hanging  down  called  skirts,  or  wings  (Hag.  ii.  12;  Zee. 
viii.  23),  or  thrown  over  left  shoulder,  and  2  ends  fastened  under 
right  cheek.  In  this  the  poor  wrapped  themselves  at  night ;  hence 
the  law  (Ex.  xxii.  25,  xxvi.  27  ;  Deu.  xxiv.  13 ;  Job  xxii.  6).  Its 
various  Heb.  and  corresponding  Gk.  names  may  sig.  dif.  size  or 
quality:  thus  beged  (Ge.  xxvii.  15;  1  K.  xxii-  10,  30),  levush  (Est. 
vi.  11,  viii.  15),  stole  (Gk.)  (Mk.  xii.  38,  xvi.  5;  Rev.  vi.  11,  vii. 
9,  13)  seem  to  =  state  dress,  or  royal  robes.  It  might  be  military 
cloak  (2  S.  xx.  8  ;  Is.  ix.  5).  or  priest's  vestments  (2  K.  x.  22).  It 
is  referred  to  (Nu.  xv.  38  ;  Deu.  xxii.  1 2) ;  might  be  fastened  with  a 
girdle  (2  S.  xx.  8) ;  its  folds  used  as  pockets  (2  K.  iv.  39 ;  Pr.  xvii, 


TOPIC'S    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Dress. 

23).  (4)  Head-dress :  prob.  not  early  in  use,  hence  a  sign  of  sorrow 
(2  S.  xv.  30 ;  Jer.  xiv.  3,  4) ;  and  the  mantle  served  (1  K.  xix.  18). 
At  first  an  ornament,  as  mitre  and  bonnets  of  priests  (Ex.  xxviii. 
3(3-40)  ;  others  worn  only  by  eminent  persons,  as  turban — Heb. 
tzaniph,  sig.  wrapping  round  (Job  xxix.  14,  "diadem;"  Is.  iii. 
23,  "hoods;"  lxii.  3;  Zee.  iii.  5).  So 
Heb.  pei}r  conveys  same  idea  of  winding 
(  l.x.  xxxix.  28;  Ez.  xliv.  18;  Is.  iii.  20, 
Ixi.  10,  "ornaments;"  Ez.  xxiv.  17,  23, 
'  tires ").  (5)  Cover  for  foot :  Sandal 
(Mk.  vi.  9;  Ac.  xii.  8)  =  shoe  in  other 
places ;  was  a  sole,  of  wood  or  leather, 
fastened  with  thongs  round  the  upper 
p  at  of  foot.  To  unfasten  was  duty  of 
slave  (Mk.  i.  7;  Lu.  iii.  16;  Jo.  i.  27; 
Ac  xiii.  25,  cf.  Mat.  iii.  11).  Sometimes 
lined  with  cloth,  on  wh.  was  painted 
figure  of  captive  {cf.  Jos.  x.  24;  Mai. 

iv.  3).  s.  of  ladies  ornamented  (Song  vii.  1  ;  Ez.  xvi.  10).  Com- 
mon sort  cheap  (Am.  ii.  6,  viii.  6).  The  feet,  but  partially  covered, 
need  washing  after  a  journey  (Ge.  xviii.  4,  xix.  2;  Lu.  vii.  44). 
Usually  laid  aside  at  meals,  hence  force  of  Ex.  xii.  1 1,  when  a  march 
was  in  prospect. 

II.  Peculiar  Bible  Refs.— Ladies  delighted  in  thin,  light  textures. 
Bp.  Lowth  thinks  "  the  glasses  "  (Is.  iii.  23)  =  transparent  garments.  See 
Is.  iii.  18-24: — Cauls  =  braids  of  hair,  confined  in  net- work.  Hound  tires 
=  ?  crescent-shaped  ornaments  hung  on  neck-chain.  Chains=?  ear- 
drops. Mufflers  =  small,  thin  veils.  Bonnets  =  turbans,  ?  the  conical 
part.  Ornaments  of  legs  z=.  stepping  chains.  Headbands  ■=.  fillets  for  hair. 
Tablets  =  smelling-bottles.  Earrings  =  charms  worn  in  ears.  Changeable 
suits  =  robes  spec,  occasions.  Wimples  =  shawls.  Crisping-pins  —  reti- 
cules. Glasses  =  ?  mirrors.  Fine  linen  =  linen  shifts.  Hoods  =  folds  of 
turban.  Stomacher  =  wide  mantle,  or  holiday  dress.  Kerchief  (Ez.  xiii. 
18)  =  prob.  cushipns,  or  quilts.  Handkerchief  (Ac.  xix.  12)  =  napkin  as, 
in  Lu.  xix.  20  ;  Jo.  xi.  44,  xx.  7.  Aprons  (Ac.  xix.  12)  dif.  little  fr.  h.-khfs. 
See  Dan.  iii.  21: — Hosen  =  un.  -garments,  tunics.  Hat  crupper  tunic. 
Coats~=  drawers.  Robe  (Mat.  xxvii.  28)  =  prob.  Rom.  military  cloak. 
Cloak  (2  Tim.  iv.  13)  =  thick  travelling  cloak;  some  think  it  was  a  cloak- 
bag  for  books,  etc.     [Of  Israel,  preserved  for  40  yrs.  (Deu.  viii.  4).l 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.    White  "ill.  of 

righteousness  (Mat.  xxviii.  3;  Rev.  iii.  18).  2.  Blood-stained,  victory 
(Is.  ix.  5).  3.  Washed  in  wine,  abundance  (Ge.  xlix.  11).  4.  D.  ill.  of 
salvation  and  righteousness  (Is.  Ixi.  10). 

IV.  Practical  Lessons. — 1.  However  poor  one's  bodily  raiment, 
garment  of  salvation  and  robe  of  righteousness  within  reach  of  all. 
2.  Body's  clothes  wear  out ;  the  soul's  last  for  ever.  3.  It  will  presently 
matter  little  what  we  have  worn  in  this  life:  it  will  much  concern  ua 
whether  we  have  the  wedding  garment  (Mat.  xxii.  11). 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Amusements.] 


MAN  If  EMS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Personal 


I.  Descriptive.— The  Jews  seem  to  have  had  no  sports  or  pas- 
times that  might  be  called  national,  prob.  because  of  their  numerous 
religious  feasts  and  festivals,  and  because  religion  was  so  closely 

connect e  d 
with  the 
personal  and 
social  life  of 
the    people, 


Egyptian  Dance, 
ref.  to  in  the  Bible  is  the  [Dance]. 


that  no 

amuse  m  e  n  t 
even  could 
be  generally 
adopted  un- 
less it  had  a 
religious 
use.  The 
principal  A. 


As  emotions  of  joy  or  sorrow 
universally  express  themselves  in  movements  and  gestures  of  the 
body,  efforts  have  been  made  among  all  nations,  but  esp.  among  those 
of  the  S.  and  E.,  in  proportion  as  they  seem  to  be  more  demonstrative, 
to  reduce  to  measure  and  to  strengthen  by  union  the  more  pleasur- 
able— those  of  joy."  (<S".  B.  D.)  The  D.  was  esteemed  by  Romans  as 
worship  of  body,  hence  had  a  place  among  sacred  things ;  so  also 
with  Egyptians.  (See  eng.,  and  Smith's  Diet,  of  Ant.  Saltatio.)  By 
eomp.  Bible  refs.,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  D.  was  assoc.  with  worship 
(Ps.  cxlix.  3,  el.  4) ;  rejoicing  (Ps.  xxx.  11 ;  Ecc.  iii.  4 ;  Lam.  v.  15  ; 
Lu.  xv.  25);  war-triumphs  (Jud.  xi.  34;  IS.  xviii.  6,  xxi.  11); 
idolatry  (Ex.  xxxii.  19) ;  sometimes  by  men  alone  (1  S.  xxx.  16 ; 
Jer.  xxxi  13) ;  by  women  (Ex.  xv.  20;  Jud.  xxi.  19,  21  ;  Jer.  xxxi. 
4,  13);  children  (Job  xxi.  11;  Mat.  xi.  17);  Herodias'  dau.  (Mat. 
xiv.  6) ;  David  (2  S.  vi.  14).  Hence,  D.  was  (1)  a  religious  act,  in 
both  true  and  idol  worship.  (2)  Practised  exclusively  on  joyful 
occasions.  (3)  Performed  by  only  one  of  the  sexes;  no  instance 
recorded  of  the  two  sexes  D.  together.  (4)  Usually  in  day-time,  open 
air,  fields,  highways,  etc.  (5)  Men  who  perverted  D.  fr.  a  religious 
use  deemed  infamous.  (6)  No  instance  on  record  in  Bible  of  social 
i).  for  amusement,  except  that  of  "  vain  fellows  "  void  of  shame, 
alluded  to  by  Michal  (2  S.  vi.  20) ;  of  the  religious  fam.  desc.  by 
Job  (xxi.  11),  which  produced  increased  impiety,  and  ended  in  de- 
struction ;  and  of  Herodias'  dau.,  which  terminated  in  rash  vow  of 
Herod,  and  murder  of  John.  {Eadie.)  [Race.]  Although  there  seems 
to  be  an  all.  to  races  in  Ps.  xix.  5,  and  Ecc.  ix.  11,  it  is  in  N.  T.  that 
the  chief  refs.  occur.  The  priest  Jason  (in  time  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  175  B.C.)  first  introduced  public  games  at  Jerusalem,  and 
erected  a  gymnasium  (2  Mace.  iv.  9).     They  were  proscribed  by  the 


T0PTC9    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Amusements. 

Maccabcan  princes,  and  aft.  revived  by  Herod,  who  (b.c.  7),  to  please 
Augustus,  built  a  theatre  at  Jerusalem,  and  an  amphitheatre  outside 
the  city,  and  similar  edifices  at  Csesarea,  and  app.  games  to  be  solem- 
nized every  5th  yr.  It  is  to  the  R.,  etc.,  as  celebrated  in  Greece  and  A. 
Minor,  that  the  chief  all.  in  the  epistles  occur.  To  win  a  prize  at  a 
R.,  the  highest  earthly  honour.  Great  training  needed  (1  Cor.  ix.  25; 
1  Tim.  iv.  8).  When  the  day  arrived,  the  judge  took  his  place  (2  Tim. 
iv.  8)  ;  numbers  came  to  witness  (Heb.  xii.  1) ;  a  violation  of  law  of 
the  course  disqualified  for  the  prize  (2  Tim.  ii.  5,  cf.  1  Cor.  ix.  26,  27; 
see  Afford,  in  loc);  the  runner  perseveres  (Phil.  iii.  12);  carries  no 
encumbrance  (Heb.  xii.  1) ;  fixes  his  eye  on  goal  (Heb.  xii.  2,  xi.  26); 
thinks  not  of  part  already  run  (Phil.  iii.  13);  his  joy  at  finishing 
( Ac.  xx.  24) ;  exultation  as  he  receives  (Phil.  iii.  12)  and  grasps 
(1  Tim.  iv.  12,  19)  the  crown  (2  Tim.  iv.  8)  set  apart  for  the  victor. 
The  prize  was  a  wreath  of  wild  olive  [Olympian)',  pine  leaves  or 
parsley  (Isth>nia?i) ;  laurel,  palm,  or  beech  {Pythian) ;  olive  or  parsley 
{Nemean) ;  branches  of  palm  were  placed  in  victors'  hands  (Rev. 
vii.  9).  But  these  were  fading  (hence  1  Cor.  ix.  25).  [Refs.  to  other 
sports,  1  Cor.  iv.  9,  xv.  32 ;  2  Cor.  i.  9 ;  2  Tim.  iv.  17.] 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [Dance.]  "Well  was 

it  said  by  a  man  of  sagacity  that  dancing  was  a  sort  of  privileged  and 
reputable  folly,  and  that  the  best  way  to  be  convinced  of  thi-<  was  to  close 
the  ears,  and  judge  of  it  by  the  eyes  alone."  {Gotthold )  "  Dancing  is  an 
amusement  which  has  been  discouraged  in  our  country  by  many  of  the 
best  people,  and  not  without  reason.  Dancing  is  associated  in  their  minds 
with  balls,  and  this  is  one  of  the  worst  forms  of  social  pleasure.  The 
time  consumed  in  preparing  for  a  ball,  the  waste  of  thought  upon  it,  the 
extravagance  of  dress,  the  late  hours,  the  exhaustion  of  strength,  the  ex- 
posure of  health,  the  languor  of  the  succeeding  day, — these  and  other  evils 
connected  with  this  amusement  are  strong  reasons  for  banishing  it  fr.  the 
community."  {W.  E.  Channing.)  [Race.]  A  man  that  runs  in  a  race — 
(1)  Takes  care  to  begin  well.  (2)  Ought  to  know  the  way.  (3)  Puts  on 
fit  equipage.  (4)  Keeps  his  body  under  (Lu.  xxii.  34).  (5)  Must  run 
swiftly,  constantly.  (6)  Must  not  yield  to  obstacles  (Gal.  ii.  2,  v.  7). 
(7)  Expect  spectators.  (8)  Must  aim  at  the  prize.  Apply  each  point  to 
the  Christian  race.  (Keach.) 

III.  Practical  Lessons. — 1.  In  selecting  an  amusement,  not  only 
choose  those  which  are  sinless,  but  healthful  in  their  influence  on  both  the 
body  and  the  mind.  2.  Remember  that  proper  recreations  may  be  abused 
by  excessive  indulgence  and  by  want  of  fairness.  The  first  is  a  waste  of 
time;  the  second,  an  injury  to  the  moral  sense.  3.  Be  willing  to  forego 
even  harmless  pleasures  for  the  sake  of  those  who  might  make  harm  of 
them.  Have  respect  to  public  opinion,  and  esp.  of  good,  even  though  they 
may  be  iveak,  men.  4.  In  all  recreation  never  forget  the  future,  and  hence 
do  not  omit  conscience  and  principle  from  mere  sport  (Ecc.  xi.  9).  Is  it 
true  that  dancing,  card-playing,  etc.,  are,  in  our  day,  indulged  in  by 
people  calling  themselves  Christiana? 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Ablutions] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Personal 


I.  Descriptive. — [Bathing.]  Prescribed  in  cases  of  accidental, 
leprous,  or  ordinary  uncleanness  (Lev.  xv.,  xvi.  28,  xxii.  6 ;  Nu. 
xix.  7,  19;  2  S.  xi.  2,  4 ;  2  K.  v.   10);   after  mourning  (Ilu.  iii.  3; 

2  S.  xii.  20) ;  high-p.  on  day  of  atonement,  etc. 
(Lev.  xiii.  6,  xvi.  4,  24).  Hence  B. -rooms  in 
ordinary  houses  (2  S.  xi.  2).  Pools,  as  Siloam, 
Hezekiah's  (Neh.  iii.  15,  16;  2  K.  xx.  20;  Is. 
xxii.  11 ;  Jo.  ix.  7);  with  porches  (Jo.  v.  2)  in- 
dicate public  B. ;  anointing  and  perfuming  oft. 
accom.  B.  (Jud.  x.  3;  Est.  ii.  12).  ["Washing 
hands]  needful,  esp.  because  knives  and  .forks 
not  used.  The  hand,  thrust  into  the  dish  (Mat. 
xxvi.  23 ;  Mk.  xiv.  20 ;  Jo.  xiii.  26),  should  be 
clean.  Hence  they  were  washed  bt  fore  meals. 
This  became  a  ritual  observance  (Mk.  vii.  3), 
and  as  such  was  opp.  by  our  Lord  (Mat.  xv.  2  ; 
Lu.  xi.  38).  "  This  custom,  but  void  of  ceremonial 
sig.,  still  com.  in  E.  {Lane,  i.  190;  Burckhardis 
Notes,  i.  63.)  They  of  course  needed  washing 
aft.  meals.  Mode  :  Water,  usu.  tepid,  esp.  aft. 
meal ;  contained  in  vessel  like  our  coffee-pot ; 
poured  over  the  hands  (2  K.  iii.  11),  which  are 
held  over  a  basin;  an  assistant,  therefore,  required  to  pour  the  water. 
(See  cut,  p.  20.)  [-Washing  Feet]  This  the  wearing  of  sandals,  q.v., 
rendered  oft.  needful.  A  religious  rite  only  in  connec.  wi.  sanctuary 
(Ex.  xxx.  19,  21).  Prominent  among  duties  of  hospitality  (Gen. 
xviii.  4,  xix.  2,  xxiv.  32,  xliii.  24 ;  Jud.  xix.  21).  A  sign  of  respect 
and  affection  when  the  host  performed  the  office  for  his  guest  (1  S. 
xxv.  41;  Lu.  vii.  38,  44;  Jo.  xiii.  5-14;  1  Tim.  v.  10).  This  custom 
still  prevails  in  E.  The  feet  were  washed  before  retiring  to  bed 
(Song  v.  3);  and  on  festive  occasions  were  anointed  also  (Lu.  vii.  38; 
Jo.  xii.  3). 

II.  Illustrations.— "  Our  youthful  host  now  proposed  (the 
genuine  style  of  anc.  Oriental  hospitality)  that  a  servant  should  wash 
our  feet.  This  took  me  by  surprise,  for  I  was  not  aware  that  the 
custom  still  existed  here.  Nor  does  it,  indeed,  towards  foreigners, 
though  it  is  quite  com.  among  natives.  We  gladly  ace.  the  proposal, 
bothfor  the  sake  of  the  refreshment,  and  of  the  scriptural  ill.  A 
female  Nubian  slave  ace.  brought  water,  which  she  poured  upon  our 
feet,  over  a  large  shallow  basin  of  tinned  copper,  kneeling  before  us, 
and  rubbing  our  feet  with  her  hands  and  wiping  them  with  a  napkin. 
It  was  one  of  the  most  gratifying  minor  incidents  of  our  whole  jour- 
ney." {R.  B.  R.,  iii.  26,  ill.  Ge.  xviii.  4,  xix.  2 ;  Lu.  vii.  14,  cf.  1  S. 
xxv.  41 ;  Jo.  xiii.  5.)  "  When  at  length  any  one  had  finished  {the 
meal),  he  immediately  rose,  and  went  and  washed  his  hands,  by 
having  water  poured  upon  them  in  an  adjacent  room.  .  .  .  The  Sheik 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Ablutions. 

of  Gaza ....  was  the  only  one  who  did  not  leave  his  place  to  wash, 
but  had  the  water  brought  to  him  where  he  sat"  (B.  B.  R.,  ii.  451). 
"  Of  course,  aft.  such  a  meal  as  we  have  described,  washing  the 
hands  and  mouth  is  indispensable  (it  ought  to  be  before,  but  is  not) ; 
and  the  ibriek  and  tusht— their  pitcher  and  ewer — are  always  brought, 
and  the  servant,  with  a  napkin  over  his  shoulder,  pours  on  your 
hands/'  (2'.  L.  B.,  128;  C.  I).  N.  T.,  180.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  Cleanliness  may  be 
recommended,  as  it  is  a  mark  of  politeness;  as  it  produces  affection; 
as  it  bears  an  analogy  to  purity  of  mind."     (Addison.) 

"Even  from  the  body's  purity  the  mind 
Receives  a  secret  sympathetic  aid."  (Thomson.) 
"  So  great  is  the  effect  of  cleanliness  upon  man,  that  it  extends  even  to 
his  moral  character.  Virtue  never  dwelt  long  with  filth,  nor  do  I  believe 
there  ever  was  a  person  scrupulously  attentive  to  cleanliness  who  was  a 
consummate  villain."  (Count  Rumford.)  "Let  thy  mind's  sweetness  have 
its  operation  upon  thy  body,  clothes,  and  habitation."  (O.  Herbert.)  "As 
a  general  rule  for  living  neatly,  and  saving  time,  it  is  better  to  keep  clean 
than  to  make  clean."  "  Cleanliness  has  a  powerful  influence  on  the  health 
and  preservation  of  the  body.  .  .  .  Persons  attentive  to  the  cleanliness  of 
their  persons  and  their  habitations  are  generally  more  healthy,  and  less 
exposed  to  diseases,  than  those  who  live  in  filth  and  nastiness;  and  it  may, 
moreover,  be  remarked  that  cleanliness  brings  with  it,  throughout  every 
part  of  domestic  discipline,  habits  of  order  and  arrangement  which  are 
among  the  first  and  best  methods  and  elements  of  happiness."  1.  No 
defilement  worse  than  sin.  2.  This  mars  the  beauty  and  health  of  the 
soul.  3.  As  filth  affects  the  life  of  body,  so  sin  of  soul.  4.  Bodily,  a 
type  of  spiritual,  cleansing.  5.  We  can  cleanse  the  body  with  water/but 
only  Christ  can  cleanse  the  soul  (1  Jo.  i.  7).  6.  We  must  be  spiritually 
clean  in  order  to  union  with  Him  (Jo.  xiii.  8). 

IV.  Practical  Lessons.— 1.  "To  avoid  disease,  we  must  cultivate 
habits  of  cleanliness."  2.  "Neglect  of  cleanliness,  like  laziness,  tends  to 
make  people  poor,  and  to  keep  them  so."  3.  For  your  body's  sake  promote 
cleanly  habits :  for  your  soul's  sake  let  your  prayer  be  Ps.  xix.  12,  li.  2. 
4.  Urge  it  in  reliance  on  the  promise,  Ez.  xxxvi.  25.  5.  Remember  the 
precept,  Jas.  iv.  8,  and  the  exhortation,  2  Cor.  vii.  1. 

[Addenda. — Bible  references  to  purification.  At  exodus  (Ex.  xiv. 
22;  1  Cor.  x.  2) ;  bef.  receiving  the  law  (Ex.  xix.  10) ;  of  priests  (xxix. 
4)  ;  of  levites  (Nu.  viii.  6,  7) ;  h. -priest  on  day  of  atonement  (Lev.  xvi. 
4,  24) ;  of  burnt-offerings  (2  Ch.  iv.  6) ;  of  unclean  persons  (Lev.  xv. 
2-13,  xvii.  15,  xxii.  4-7 ;  Nu.  xix.  7-12,  21) ;  of  healed  leper  (Lev.  xiv. 
8,  9) ;  of  Nazarite  (Ac.  xxi.  24,  26) ;  of  devout,  bef.  entering  house  of 
God  (Ps.  xxvi.  6,  cf.  Heb.  x.  22) ;  multiplied  by  traditions  (Mat.  xv:  2 ; 
Mk.  vii.  3,  4).  Means  used :  Water  of  separation  (Nu.  xix.  9) ;  running 
water  (Lev.  xv.  13);  water  mixed  with  blood  (Ex.  xxiv.  5-8,  cf.  Heb. 
ix.  19).  Mode:  Sprinkling  (Nu.  xix.  13,  18;  Heb.  ix.  19);  washing 
parts  of  body  (Ex.  xxx.  19),  or  whole  body  (Lev.  viii.  6,  xiv.  9) ;  availed 
to  sanctifying  of  flesh  (Heb.  ix.  13) ;  insufficient  for  spiritual  cleansing 
(Job  ix.  30,  31 ;  Jer.  ii.  22).  Illustrated:  Purification  by  blood  of  Christ 
(Heb.  ix.  9-12);  regeneration  (Ep.  v.  26;  1  Jo.  i.  7).] 


10  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Perfumery,  etc.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Personal 

I.  Descriptive,  etc.— [Perfumes.]  1.  Origin  of  use  :  Offensive 
smells  engendered  by  heat  of  climate  (Burckhardt's  Travels,  ii.  85); 
hence  free  use  of  p.  (Pr.  xxvii.  9).  2.  Source  of  supply  :  From 
spices  (q.v .)  of  Arabia,  and  also  aromatic 
plants  of  Palestine.  3.  Mode  of  appli- 
cation :  Various ;  bunch  of  plant,  as 
nosegay  \jyay  flowers  for  regaling  the 
nose] ;  or  confined  in  a  bag  (Song  i.  13) ; 
or  pulverized,  and  used  in  fumigation 
(Song  iii.  6) ;  or  essence  of,  mixed  with 
oil  (Jo.  xii.  3)  ;  or  scent  of,  in  smelling- 
bottles  (Is.  iii.  20;  lit.,  "houses  of  the 
soul").  4.  Uses:  Temple  service  (Ex. 
xxx.  22-38).  Private  life,  applied  to 
the  person,  to  garments  (Ps.  xlv.  8 ; 
Song  iv.  11),  and  to  furniture  (Pr. 
vii.  17).  Omitted  in  time  of  mourning, 
aloe8.  hence  the  all.  (Is.  iii.  24).     "On  the  ar- 

rival of  a  guest,  the  same  compliments  were  probably  paid  in  anc.  as 
in  mod.  times ;  the  rooms  were  fumigated,  the  person  of  the  guest 
was  sprinkled  with  rose-water,  and  then  the  incense  was  applied  to 
his  face  and  beard."  (Dan.  ii.  46 ;  Lane's  Mod.  Eg.,  ii.  14.)  When  a 
royal  personage  went  abroad  in  his  litter,  attendants  threw  up  "  pillars 
of  smoke "  ab.  his  path  (Song  iii.  6;  S.  B.  D.)  5.  Manufacture 
of  P.  in  form  of  ointment,  or  "incense,  a  profession  (Ex.  xxx.  25,  35 ; 
Ecc.  x.  1).  [Ornaments.]  Orientals  of  all  classes,  in  anc.  and  mod. 
times,  much  given  to  personal  decoration.  Hence  many  refs.  in 
Bible  (on  Is.  iii.  18-23,  see  Dress).  Jewels  were  of  gold  and  silver 
(Ex.  iii.  22,  xxxv.  22  ;  Nu.  xxxi.  50,  51 ;  Ez.  xvi.  17);  of  precious 
stones  in  gold  mounting  (Song  v.  14;  Ex.  xxxviii.  11);  were  in 
form  of  bracelets,  worn  by  women  (Ge.  xxiv.  30;  Ex.  xxxv.;  Is. 
iii.  19;  Ez.  xvi.  11);  by  men  (Ge.  xxxviii.  18,  25;  Nu.  xxxi.  50; 
2  S.  i.  10).  Chains  [also  a  badge  of  office  (Ge.  xli.  42;  Dan.  v. 
7,  29)]  as  o.  (Nu.  xxxi.  50;  Is.  iii.  19;  Song  i.  10;  Ez.  xvi.  11). 
Rings — gold  and  gems — (Song  v.  14),  worn  on  hand  by  men  and 
women  (Ex.  xxxv.  22;  Nu.  xxxi.  50;  Is.  iii.  21);  or  worn  in  the 
nose  (Is.  iii.  21 ;  Pr.  xi.  22).  Made  of  gold  (Ex.  xxviii.  23);  silver 
(Est.  i.  6);  brass  (Ex.  xxvii.  4).  [Also  badge  of  office  (Ge.  xli.  42; 
Est.  iii.  10,  12,  viii.  2-10).]  Tablets  =  necklace  of  gold  beads  (Ex. 
xxxv.  22  ;  Nu.  xxxi.  50)  =  smelling-bottles  (Is.  iii.  20).  Anklets 
(Is.  iii.  18,  20,  "tinkling  0.")  o.  of  legs  (Is.  iii.  20;  i.e.,  ace.  to  Gesenius, 
short  chains  connec.'with  each  anklet  to  enforce  short,  mincing 
steps).  These  o.  (Ex.  iii.  22,  xi.  2)  were  so  numerous  as  to  furnish 
gold  enough  for  utensils  of  tabernacle  (Ex.  xxxv.  22),  and  the 
brazen  laver  was  made  of  the  women's  mirrors,  i.e.  pieces  of  polished 
brass  (Ex.  xxxvii.  8-  Job  xxxvii.  18). 


topics  fob  teachers.  11 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS  (Perfumery,  etc. 


II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [Perfumes]  ill.  1. 
Sweets  of  true  friendship  (Pr.  xxvii.  9).  "The  best  friends  are  those  that 
stimulate  us  to  that  wh.  is  good"  (Heb.  x.  24).  "During  our  conversation, 
some  slaves  brought  a  very  richly  ornamented  silver  tripod,  filled  with 
burning  coals,  upon  wh.  some  incense  was  thrown,  and  it  was  presented  to 
us  to  inhale  the  fragrant  smoke ;  and  at  the  moment  we  inclined  our  head 
a  slave  sprinkled  some  rose-water  over  us  fr.  a  bottle  he  held  in  his  left 
hand."     2.  Reputation  (Ecc.  vii.  1 ;  Song  i.  3). 

"  Oh,  reputation !  dearer  far  than  life ! 
Thou  precious  balsam,  lovely,  sweet  to  smell ! 
Whose  cordial  drops,  once  spilt  by  some  rash  hand, 
Not  all  the  owner's  care,  nor  the  repenting  toil 
Of  the  rude  spiller,  ever  can  collect 
To  its  first  purity  and  native  sweetness."         {Sewell.) 

[Ornaments.]  "Ornament  is  only  valuable  when  it  does  not  interfere 
■with  what  is  useful.  The  frost  wh.  congeals  water  adds  much  to  its  bril- 
liancy, but  destroys  its  utility.  Children  may  admire  how  it  sparkles  in 
the  sun,  but  men  will  reflect  that  it  slakes  no  thirst,  it  revives  no  fainting 
heart."  o.  ill.  1.  The  need  and  fitness  of  spiritual  adorning  (1  Tim.  ii. 
9,  10;  1  Pet.  iii.  4).  2.  Incongruity  betw.  dress  and  station,  or  betw. 
appearance  and  character  (Pr.  xi.  22).  "She  neglects  her  heart  who 
studies  her  glass."  (Lavater.)  "It  is  the  custom  in  almost  all  the  E.  for 
the  women  to  wear  rings  in  their  noses,  in  the  left  nostril,  wh.  is  bored 
low  down  in  the  middle.  These  rings  are  of  gold,  and  have  commonly 
two  pearls  and  one  ruby  betw.,  placed  in  the  ring.  I  never  saw  a  young 
girl  or  young  woman,  in  Arabia  or  Persia,  who  did  not  wear  a  ring  after 
this  manner  in  her  nostril."  (Sir  John  Chardin.)  3.  Wisdom  (Pr.  xx.  15). 
4.  Strong  affection  (Song  viii.  6,  ef.  Jer.  xxii.  24;  Hag.  ii.  23).  5.  Paternal 
influence  and  instruction  (Pr.  i.  8,  9).  6.  The  obedient  hearing  of  re- 
proof (Pr.  xxv.  12).  7.  Strangeness  of  men  forgetting  God  (Jer.  ii.  32). 
8.  God's  great  love  to  Jerusalem  and  His  people  (Ez.  xvi.  7). 

III.  Practical  Lessons. — 1.  Seek  to  have  a  name  fragrant  with 
goodness.  2.  Blossoms  of  piety  emit  the  sweetest  perfume.  3.  The  best 
and  most  lasting  ornaments  are  those  of  mind  and  heart.  4.  Ornaments 
for  the  body  are  of  human  contrivance ;  o.  for  the  soul  are  of  Divine 
design,  execution,  and  bestowment.  5.  Ornaments  for  the  body  may  be 
bequeathed  to  survivors,  who  may  shine  in  jewels  they  littlo  merit;  but 
o.  for  the  soul  are  absolute  property,  personal  effects — not  inherited,  but 
given.     6.  Hence  they  must  be  personally  sought  and  worn. 

[Addenda. — Perfumery,  fr.  Lat.,  per,  through,  and  fumus,  smoke.  Philip 
Augustus  of  France  granted  a  charter  to  master-perfumers  in  1190.  p. 
became  fashionable  in  England  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth.  In  1860  there 
were  about  forty  manufacturing  perfumers  in  London;  in  Paris  about 
eighty.  No  such  trade  as  a  perfumer  known  in  Scotland  in  1763.  (Creech.) 
In  1786  a  stamp-tax  was  laid  on  various  articles  of  periumer3'in  England, 
and  the  vendor  was  obliged  to  take  out  a  license.  (Hadyn's  Diet,  of  Dates.) 
Choice  perfumery  will  not  take  away  the  ill-odour  of  sin.  "All  the 
perfumes  of  Arabia  will  not  sweeten  this  little  hand."    (Shakspeare.)'] 


.12 


TOPICS'  FOR    TEACHERS. 


Occupation.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Personal 


Fullers  at  work. 
trades,  and  had  this  proverb  : 
teacheth  him  to  be  a  thief.'' 


I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Origin  of  trade  :    From  the  beginning, 
man  not  to  live  in  indolence  (Ge.  ii.  15).     Presently  labour  became 
toil  (iii.  17-19,  23).     At  first,  branches  of  labour  very  few.     Every 
ammm  ,,mVn  needful  art  pursued  beneath  ea. 

.,„.    ;>".  roof,  and  ea.  man  his  own  car- 

penter, smith,  etc.  Yet  even  in 
the  first  family  men  gave  them- 
selves specially  to  the  pursuit 
for  wh.  they  were  best  adapted 
(Abel,  a  shepherd ;  Cain,  a  hus- 
bandman). At  length,  as  pop. 
increased,  the  man  who  could  do 
one  thing  better  than  another, 
would  rely  upon  that  as  a  means 
of  living.  Undivided  attention 
being  given  to  that  one  thing, 
it  would  be  better  done.  Hence, 
probably,  distinct  trades  arose. 
2.  Custom  relating  to  trade: 
The  Jews  taught  their  children 
He  that  teacheth  not  his  son  a  trade, 
Hence  St.  Paul  was  taught  a  trade 
(Ac.  xviii.  3,  xx.  34;  2  Thes.  iii.  8),  and  enforced  the  duty  of  earning 
an  honest  living  (10-12).  3.  Names  of  trades  :  Among  the  various 
callings  in  wh.  the  Jews  were  more  or  less  skilled  were  (1)  Apothecary 
[word  sig.  lit.  "  keeper  of  a  storehouse."  Lat.  apotheca ;  Gk.  apo- 
theke  =  storehouse  ;  apo  and  theke,  a  case  ;  tithemi,  to  place].  Was 
not  so  much  compounder  of  drugs,  as  maker  of  perfumes  and  oint- 
ments (Ex.  xxx.  25,  35,  xxxvii.  29;  Neh.  iii.  8;  Ecc.  x.  1).  Heb. 
root  =  to  heat,  or  boil.  (2)  Baker  [A.-S.,  bacan  ;  Ice.,  baka,  to 
warm;  Ger.,  backen,  to  bake  ;  bahen,  to  heat].  See  Bread.  Baking 
a  domestic  art,  yet  became  a  profession  and  trade  (Ge.  xl.  1,2;  1  S. 
viii.  13  ;  Jer.  xxxvii.  21 ;  Hos.  vii.  4,  6).  (3)  Barber  [lit.,  "one  who 
shaves  beards,"  from  Fr.,  barhe — Lat.,  barba,  a  beard]  (Jud.  xvi.  19; 
Ez.  v.  1).  (4)  Carpenter  [lit.,  a  maker  of  cars;  Fr.,  charpentier ; 
old  Fr.,  carpentier ;  Lat.,  carpentarius — carpentum,  a  car]  (2  S.  vi.  5; 
1  K.  x.  12;  2  K.  vi.  1-7,  xii.  11;  2  Ch.  xxiv.  8-12;  Ezra  iii.  7). 
Frequent  mention  of  tools  (as  saw,  Is.  x.  15,  ?  axe ;  awl,  Ex.  xxi.  6). 
This  was  the  o.  of  Joseph,  and  prob.  of  our  Lord,  in  His  youth  (Mat. 
xiii.  55;  Mk.  vi.  3).  (5)  Carver  [A.-S.,  ceorfau,  to  cut,  to  hew; 
Du.,  kerven ;  Ger.,  kerben,  to  notch]  (Ex.  xxxi.  5,  xxxv.  33  ;  IK. 
vi.  18,  29,  32,  35  ;  2  Ch.  iii.  7 ;  Ps.  lxxiv.  6).  (6)  Dyer  [lit.,  to  soak, 
to  stain  ;  A.-S.,  deagan,  to  dye ;  Dan.,  dygge,  to  sprinkle  with  water] 
(Ex.  xxv.  5,  xxvi.  14;  Ez.  xxiii.  15;  Nah.  ii.  3,  marg.)  (7)  En- 
graver [lit.,  to  dig,  or  cut  in.  A.-S.,  grafan ;  Du.,  graven;  Ger. 
"  m ;  allied  to  Gk.  grapho,  to  grave,  scratch] — metals  (Ex.  xxxii. 


T0PIC8   FOR   TEACIIERS.  13 


■Life.]  MAyXERS  AND  CC.sTo.VS. 


[Occupation. 


4;  1  K.  vii.  3t;  2  Ch.  ii.  7,  14);  gems  (Ex.  xxviii.  9-11,  21,  36, 
xxxix.  6,  14,  30;  Zee.  iii.  9).  (S)  Fuller  [lit.,  one  who  presses  or 
scours  cloth;  A.-S.,  fullian,  to  whiten  as  a  fuller]  (Jer.  ii.  22;  Mai. 
iii.  2  ;  Mk.  ix.  3).  (9)  Tanner  [Fr.,  tanner,  prob.  fr.  Bret.,  farm,  an 
oak.  Infusion  of  oak  bark  used  in  tanning]  (Ex.  xxvi.  14 ;  Ac.  ix. 
43,  x.  6).  (10)  Mason  [one  who  cuts  stones;  Fr.,  macon;  Ger. 
meisseln,  to  cut]  (1  K.  v.  18;  2  K.  xii.  12,  xxii.  6;  1  Ch.  xiv.  1  ; 
Ezr.  iii.  7).  (11)  Miner  [one  who  digs  under  ground;  Fr.  miner! 
(Job  xxviii.  1-6).  (12)  Potter  [Fr.,  pot ;  Gael.,  pott ;  Ice.,  pottrl 
(1  Ch.  iv.  23;  Is.  xli.  25,  lxiv.  8  ;  Jer.  xviii.  3,  4  ;  Dan.  ii.  41  ;  Zee 
xi.  13;  Mat.  xxvii.  7-10  ;  Ro.  ix.  21).  (13)  Smith  [one  who  smites 
with  the  hammer;  A.-S.,  smitan,  to  smite]  (1  S.  xiii.  19;  2  K.  xxiv. 
14;  Isa.  liv.  16;  Jer.  xxiv.  1).  (14)  Tent-maker,  see  Divellings  (Ac! 
Jtviii.  3).  (15)  Weaver  [one  who  weaves  or  twines  threads  together; 
A.-S.,  wefan;  Ger.,  weben,  to  weave]  (Ex.  xxviii.  32,  xxxv.  35, 
xxxix.  22,  27  ;  2  K.  xxiii.  7  ;  Is.  xix.  9,  xxxviii.  12) ;  beam  (Jud. 
xvi.  14;  2  S.  xxi.  19;  1  Ch.  xi.  23) ;  shuttle  (Job  vii.  6). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Lawful  callings  to 
be  diligently  pursued  (Ho.  xii.  11).  2.  Labour  to  be  done  fr.  a  light 
motive  (1  Cor.  x.  31).  3.  Occupations  to  be  honest,  and  honestly  followed 
(Eph.  iv.  28).  Note:  A  calling  may  be  honest  in  itself,  but  be  dishonestly 
pursued ;  ill.  morality  of  trade,  "  tricks  of  trade,"  "  trade  customs,"  etc. 
"  Every  base  occupation  makes  one  sharp  in  its  practice,  and  dull  in  every 
other."  (Sir  P.  Sidney.)  ''The  man  determines  the  dignity  of  the  o.,  not 
the  o.  wh.  measures  the  dig.  of  man."  "  o.  was  one  of  the  pleasures  of 
Paradise  ;  we  cannot  be  happy  without  it."  "  Whatever  busies  the  mind, 
without  corrupting  it,  has  at  least  this  use,  that  it  rescues  the  day  from 
idleness;  he  that  is  never  idle  will  not  often  be  vicious."  "  o.,  action  of 
any  kind,  is  as  opposed  to  sentimentality  as  fire  to  water;  a  few  years  of 
labour  or  study — even  a  few  months  or  weeks— will  bring  a  young  head 
into  the  right  track."  "  The  modern  majesty  consists  in  work.  What  a 
man  can  do  is  his  greatest  ornament,  and  he  "always  consults  his  dignity 
by  doing  it." 

"  Who's  born  to  sloth  ?    To  some  we  find 
The  ploughshare's  annual  task  assign'd; 
Some  at  the  sounding  anvil  glow ; 
Some  the  swift  sliding  shuttle  throw; 
Some,  studious  of  the  wind  and  tide, 
From  pole  to  pole  our  commerce  guide ; 
While  some,  of  genius  more  refin'd, 
With  head  and  tongue  assist  mankind. 
In  every  rank,  or  great  or  small, 
'Tis  industry  supports  us  all."         (Gay.) 

III.  Practical  Lessons.— 1.  To  serve  God  in  every  station.  2.  A 
Christian  life  the  noblest  occupation.  3.  Working  for  God  the  most 
remunerative  employment.  4.  The  soul  and  eternity  demand  special  and 
unceasing  toil  (Jo.  vi.  27). 

Vol.  II.— 2 


14 


TOPICS    FOE    TEACHERS. 


Dwellings,— Tents.]        MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Domestic 


I.  Descriptive.— [Cave.]  Syria  rocky  land,  hence  many  caves 
(Is.  ii.  ly).  Ace.  to  position,  use,  or  construction,  various  Hebrew 
words  =  cave  (for  which  see  8.  BaD.^.     Places  or  people  have  oft. 

deriv.  their  name  fr. 
them.  Hence  Hau- 
ran  =  caveland.  Ho- 
rites  =  dwellers  in 
caves.  1.  Formation  : 
of  some  natural  (Heb. 
xi.  38)  ;  others  arti- 
Jicial  (Jud.  vi.  2). 
2.  Use  :  dwellings  (Ge. 
Arab  Tents.  xix.  30,  first  mention 

of  C.  in  Bible V,  for  concealment  (1  S.  xiii.  6,  xiv.  11  ;  1  K.  xviii. 
4;  Heb.  xi.  38)  :  resting-jilaces  (1  S.  xxiv.  3 ;  1  K.  xix.  9);  burial- 
places  (Ge.  xxiii.  19;  Jo.  xi.  38);  haunts  of  robbers  (J er.  vii.  11; 
Mat.  xxi.  13);  of  icild  beasts  (Nah.  ii.  12).  Often  spacious  (1  S. 
xxii.  1,  2,  xxiv.  3) ;  one  in  Damascus  will  hold  4000  men ;  desc.  by 
Strabo ;  still  shown  to  travellers.  A  grotto  betw.  Aleppo  and  Bir 
will  hold  nr.  3000  horse  {Tavernier)  ;  one  nr.  Sidon  contains  200 
smaller  caverns  (Maundrell).  3.  Named  in  Bible  :  Adullam,  q.v. 
(1  S.  xxii.  1) ;  Engedi,  q.v.  (1  S.  xxiii.  29,  cf.  xxiv.  1-3) ;  Machpelah, 
q.v.  (Ge.  xxxiii.  9*);  Mahkedah  (Jos.  x.  16,  17).  [Tents.]  Ancient 
(Ge.  iv.  20) ;  suited  to  old  nomadic  life  of  inhabitants  of  Syria ;  and 
present  life  of  wandering  Arabs,  etc.  Called  tabernacles  (Nu.  xxiv.  5; 
Job  xii.  6  j  Heb.  xi.  9) ;  curtains  (Is.  liv.  2  ;  Heb.  iii.  7).  Material  : 
goats'-hair  (see  Cilicium),  spun  and  woven  by  women  (Ex.  xxxv. 
26,  xxxvi.  14)  ;  hence  black  colour  (Song  i.  5).  "  Even  black  tents, 
when  new,  and  pitched  among  bushes  of  liveliest  green,  have  a  very 

1  comely '  appearance,  especially  when  both  are  bathed  in  a  flood  of 
evening's  golden  light."  (T.  L.  B.,  171.)  Used  by  patriarchs 
(Ge.  xiii:  5,  xxv.  27  ;  Heb.  xi.  9) ;  Israel  in  desert  (Ex.  xxx.  8  ;  Nu. 
xxiv.  2);  in  their  wars  (1  S.  iv.  3,  10,  xxix.  1;  1  K.  xvi.  16); 
Kechabites  (Jer.  xxxv.  7,  10)  ;  Arabs  (Isa.  13-20) ;  shepherds  (Song 
i.  8  ;  Isaiah  xxxviii.  12);  all  eastern  peoples  (Jud.  vi.  5  ;  1  S.  xvii.  4; 

2  K.  vii.  7;  1  Ch.  v.  10).  Description:  Spread  out  (Is.  xl.  22) ; 
fastened  by  cords  to  stakes  or  nails  (Is.  liv.  2  ;  Jer;  x.  20,  cf.  Jud: 
iv.  21) ;  enlarged  by  lengthening  cords  (Is.  liv.  2).  Tents  of 
Arabia  of  oblong  shape,  fr.  8  to  10  ft.  high  in  middle  ;  of  dim  size 
according  to  number  of  poles— fr.  3  to  9 — wh.  support  them  (A":  B.  I).) 
Separate  tents  for  wives  (Ge:  xxiv.  67)  and  servants  (Ge.  xxxi.  33) ; 
but  if  the  T.  was  large,  a  curtain  prob.  div.  the  women's  side  fr. 
rest.  Pitching  :  orderly  (Nil:  i.  52);  nr.  wells  (Ge.  xiii;  10,  12  ;  xxvh 
17,  18  ;  IS:  xxix.  1 ) ;  under  trees  (Ge.  xviii.  1,  4  ;  Jud;  iv.  5) ;  tops  of 
houses  (2  S.  xvi.  22) ;  persons  sent  to  select  site  (Dem  i.  33) ;  easily 
i*emoved  (Isa.  xxxviii.  12).     T.  of  Jews  com.  with  Arabs  (Nu.  xxiv. 


TOriCS    FOB    TEACHERS.  15 

Life.]  MANSBRa  AND  CUSTOMS.       [Dwellings.-Tents. 


5,  cf.  Song  i.  5)  ;  custom  of  sitting  or  standing  at  door  (Ge.  xviii.  1 ; 
Jud   iv:  20). 

II.  Illustrations.— Jud.  v.  26.  "The  nail  wh.  Jael  used  was  a  tent- 
pin,  now,  as  then,  called  wated  ;  and  the  hammer  was  the  mallet  with  wh. 
it  is  driven  into  the  ground.  It  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  either  of 
them  was  of  iron,  as  nail  and  hammer  would  imply.     The  wated  was  prob. 

a  sharp-pointed  pin  of  hard  wood Is.  xxii.  23,  25.     It  is  not  every 

place  that  will  hold  the  tent  nail  securely  ;  it  must  be  driven  into  suitable 

ground Zech.  x.  4.     The  tent-pin  is  absolutely  essential  to  the 

stability  and  safety  of  the  Arab's  habitation."  (T.  L.  B.,  440-41).  Song 
i.  5.  The  Arabians  take  pleasure  in  pitching  their  tents  on  hills  in  such 
a  way  as  to  form  a  sort  of  circular  encampment.  When  thus  pitched, 
being  of  a  dark  hue,  they  exhibit  a  beautiful  appearance  to  the  distantly- 
approaching  traveller.  Job  xxx.  1 :  The  flocks  and  cattle  during  the 
night  are  driven  into  the  space  in  the  centre  of  the  encampment,  and 
guarded  by  dogs.  Is.  lvi.  9-11  :  Some  one  of  the  shepherds  keeps  watch 
also  during  the  night — a  duty  performed  alternately.  (/.  B.  A.,  n.  30.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious   Suggestions.— [Cave  ]     III.    1. 

Human  fear,  and  desire  of  concealment  from  presence  of  God  (Is.  ii.  19). 

2.  The  darkness  (of  the  grave)  hideth  not  from  God  (Ez.  xxxiii.  27) ;  also 
folly  of  attempting  to  flee  fr.  God.  3.  The  consternation  that  will  seize 
upon  the  unprepared  at  the  last  great  day.  (See  also  C.  D.  0.  T.,  40,  196.) 
c.  of  Engedi  may  remind  us  that  adverse  circumstances  should  develop, 
rather  than  dwarf,  noble  qualities.  [Tent]  III.  1.  The  heavens  (Is.  xl.  22, 
xlii.  5,  xliv.  24;  Job  ix.  8;  Ps.  civ.  2;  Jer.  x.  12).  Sublime  poetical 
conception.  God's  tent,  with  the  clouds  for  curtains,  and  the  stars,  etc., 
for  lamps.  A  tent  for  all  to  dwell  in.  Human  tents  small,  perishing,  etc., 
com.  with  the  Creator's  pavilion.  2.  Extension  of  the  Church  (Is.  liv.  2). 
Explain  mode  of  enlarging  a  tent ;  and  show  danger  of  doing  so  unless 
the  cords  and  stakes  are  made  proportionably  strong.  Apply  this  to 
Church  extension.  3.  The  frailty  of  present  body,  as  com.  with  the  future 
home  of  soul  (2  Cor.  v.  1-4).  Tent,  Vith  cords,  stakes,  etc.,  soon  removed : 
ill.  the  sometimes  speedy  dissolution  of  our  physical  nature.  One  has 
gone  before  to  choose  the  place  of  our  future  and  eternal  residence. 

IV.  Practical  Lessons. — 1.  Here  we  are  strangers  and  pilgrims, 
leading  a  wandering  tent  life  ;  presently  we  may  dwell  in  a  city  wh.  hath 
foundations,  etc.  Mt.  Zion  shall  never  be  moved.  Are  we  preparing  for 
the  change  ?  2.  While  the  outer  man  (the  tent)  decays  (as  the  tent  grows 
old)  is  the  inner  man  (the  soul — spiritual   and  immortal)  daily  renewed. 

3.  The  patriarchs  pitched  their  tent  near  the  altar,  or  reared  an  altar  near 
their  tent.  (C.  D.  0.  T.,  25.)  In  all  our  wanderings  remember  Him  with 
whom  we  hope  to  dwell  for  ever. 

For  ever  with  the  Lord, 


Amen,  so  let  it  be  ! 
Life  from  the  dead  is  in  that  word, 

'  Tis  immortality. 
Here  in  the  body  pent, 

Absent  from  Him  I  roam, 
Yet  nightly  pitch  my  moving  tent 

A  day's  march  nearer  home. 


My  Father's  house  on  high 

Home  of  my  soul,  how  near 
At  times  to  faith's  illumined  eye 

TI13'  golden  gates  appear ! 
My  thirsty  spirit  faints 

To  reach  the  land  I  love, 
The  bright  inheritance  of  saints, 

Jerusalem  above. 


16 


TOPICS  ffOIl  TEACHERS. 


Dwellings,— Houses.]    MANNERSAND  CUSTOMS. 


[Domestic 


I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Name:  House  =  a  dwelling  of  any  kind; 
lit.  a  covering  or  protection  [W.,  hws,  a  covering ;  A.-S.,  Goth.,  hus, 
Ger.,  hans — nuten,  to  cover ;  akin  to  Lat.  casa,  the  protecting  thing, 

a  cottage ;  Heb., 
kas-ah,  to  cover]. 
Although  in  lang. 
of  E.  a  tent  may  = 
a  house,  yet  the 
dwelling-house,  as 
dis.  fr.  tent,  must 
be  dated  fr.  time  of 
div.  of  men  into 
dwellers  in  tents 
and  builders  of  ci- 
ties (Ge.  iv.  17,20; 
Is.  xxxviii.  12). 
The  Hebrews  were 
not  dwellers  in 
Plan  of  Eastern  House.  cities  till  sojourn  in 

Egypt,  and  aft.  conquest  of  Canaan  (Ge.  xlvii.  3 ;  Ex.  xii.  7,  xi.  9). 
2.  Material  :  h.  of  poor  in  Egypt,  Syria,  Arabia,  etc.,  of  mud  or 
brick  (sunburnt) :  of  rich,  stone,  marble,  etc.  (1  Ch.  xxix.  2) ;  squared, 
panelled,  fitted  (Am.  v.  11);  in  Babylon  cemented  with  bitumen 
(Ge.  xi.  3),  with  clay,  or  mortar  made  of  lime,  ashes,  sand,  etc.,  wh. 
crumbles  when  badly  mixed  (Ez.  xiii.  10-15).  Stones  sometimes 
fastened  together  with  lead  or  iron  clamps.  Timber  also  used  for 
beams,  floors,  ceiling,  panels  (Ex.  xxvi.  15;  IK.  vi.  15,  16,  32-34, 
vii.  8,  12,  x.  12;  Is.  ix.  10).  Ivory  and  precious  metals  used  for 
overlaying  wood- work  (1  K.  vi.  35,  xxii.  39  ;  Am.  iii.  15).  3.  Form  : 
H.  of  E.  consist  of  apartments  ranged 
in  stories  (lofts),  built  round  an  in- 
terior court,  into  wh.  the  principal 
A  windows  look.  Sometimes  a  balcony 
i:  runs  round  the  stories  overlooking  the 
\jfr  court.  In  the  court,  wh.  is  a  prome- 
'  nade,  and  in  fine  weather  the  dining- 
place  of  the  household,  there  is  often 
a  fountain.  This  court  is  occasionally 
shaded  by  an  awning  (perhaps  the 
tiling  of  Lu.  v.  19,  though  the  tiling 
may  be  either  the  thin  roofing  or  the 
balustrade  guarding  the  edge  of  roof 
towards  the  court,  Deu.  xxii.  8). 
or  porch,  attended  by  porter  (Jo.  xviii. 
16,  17  ;  Ac.  xii.  13,  14).     Roofs  were  flat,  used  for  sleeping,  etc. 

II.  Illustrations.— Elisha's  chamber  (2  K.  iv.  10)  prob.  room 


Eastern  Houses  (flat  roofs). 
From  outer  door  is  a 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  17 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.    [Dwellings,— Houses. 

over  door,  with  projecting  window  ;  also  the  summer  parlour  (Jud. 
iii.  20).  The  "  guest-chamber  "  (Lu.  xxii.  11,  12),  a  large  room  in 
upper  storey ;  same  room  with  Ac.  i.  13,  xx.  8,  9.  Our  Lord  was 
prob.  preaching  in  inner  <  ourt  (Mk.  ii.  2-4;  Lu.  v.  18,  19).  Bed- 
chamber (2  K.  xi.  2)  not  a  sleeping-room,  but  prob.  a  store-room  in 
wh.  beds  were  kept.  Roof  is  reached  by  external  staircase ;  not 
needful  to  enter  rooms  (Mat.  xxiv.  17),  and  was  place  of  conference, 
recreation,  etc.  (1  S.  ix.  25,  26;  2  S.  xi.  2;  Pr.  xxi.  9). 

III.  Bible  References.— h.  ancient  (Ge.  xii.  1,  xix.  3).  Founda- 
tions (Mat.  vii.  24-26;  Lu.  vi.  48,  49).  Material:  clay  (Job  iv.  19); 
bricks  (Ex.  i.  11-14;  Is.  ix.  10);  stone,  wood  (Lev.  xiv.  40,  42;  Hab. 
ii.  11);  hewn  stone  (Is.  ix.  10;  Am.  v.  11).  In  cities,  built  in  streets 
(Ge.  xix.  2 ;  Jos.  ii.  19) ;  or  on  walls  (Jos.  ii.  15 ;  2  Cor.  xi.  33).  Roofs 
surrounded  with  battlement  (Den.  xxii.  8) ;  booths  on  (2  S.  xvi.  22 ;  Neh. 
viii.  16;  Pr.  xxi.  9);  idolatrous  altars  on  (2  K.  xxiii.  12;  Jer.  xix.  13; 
Zep.  i.  5) ;  flax  dried  on  (Jos.  ii.  6) ;  exercise  (2  S.  xi.  2 ;  Dan.  iv.  29) ; 
prayer  (Ac.  x.  9) ;  proclamations  (Lu.  xii.  3) ;  mourning  (Is.  xv.  3 ;  Jer. 
xlviii.  38);  grass-grown  (Ps.  cxxix.  6,  7).  Courts  of  (Est.  i.  5;  Lu.  v.  19). 
Entered  by  door  (Ge.  xliii.  19 ;  Ex.  xii.  22 ;  Ac.  x.  17),  wh.  was  loiv  (Pr. 
xvii.  19);  fastened  (2  S.  xiii.  18;  Song  v.  5;  Lu.  xi.  7).  Walls  (Lev. 
xiv.  42,  43;  Am.  v.  19).  Nails  (Ecc.  xii.  11;  Is.  xxii.  23).  Stories  (Ez. 
xii.  16 ;  Ac.  xx.  9).  Booms  (Ge.  xliii.  30 ;  Is.  xxvi.  20).  h.  of  rich  (Deu. 
viii.  12;  Is.  v.  9  ;  Ez.  xxvi.  12;  Mic.  ii.  9;  Am.  vi.  11;  2  Tim.  ii.  20) 
dedicated  when  finished  (Deu.  xx.  5 ;  Ps.  xxx.,  title) ;  not  to  be  coveted 
(Ex.  xx.  17  ;  Mic.  ii.  2) ;  hired  (Ac.  xxviii.  30) ;  mortgaged  (Neh.  v.  3) ; 
sold  (Ac.  iv.  34) ;  law  of  sale  (Lev.  xxv.  29-33).  h.  of  criminals  (Dan. 
ii.  5,  iii.  29). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Analogies.— h.  ill.  body  (Job  iv.  19; 
2  Cor.  v.  1).  Grave  (Jub  xxx.  23).  Church  (Heb.  ii.  6 ;  1  Pot.  ii.  5). 
Saint's  inheritance  (Jo.  xiv.  2;  2  Cor.  v.  1).  On  sand,  vain  hope  (Mat. 
vii.  26,  27) ;  on  rock,  good  hope  (Mat.  vii.  24,  25).  Insecurity  of  earthly 
trust  (Mat.  vi.  19,  20).  Building  of,  great  prosperity  (Is.  lxv.  21 ;  Ez. 
xxviii.  26).  Built  and  not  inhabited,  calamity  (Deu.  xxviii.  30;  Am. 
v.  11  ;  Zep.  i.  13).  Those  built  by  others  inhabited,  great  blessings 
(Dt-u.  vi.  10,  11). 

V.  Practical  Suggestions.— 1.  A  house  not  necessarily  a  home. 
A  mere  house  is  paradise  lost ;  a  true  home,  paradise  regained. 


That  is  not  home  where,  day  by  day, 
I  wear  the  busy  hours  away ; 
That  is  not  home  where  lonely  night 
Prepares  me  for  the  toils  of  light. 
'Tis  hope  and  joy  and  memory  give 
A  home  in  which  the  heart  can  live. 


It  is  a  presence  undefined, 
O'ershadowing  the  conscious  mind, 
Where  love  and  duty  sweetly  blend 
To  consecrate  the  name  of  friend : 
Where'er  Thou  art  is  home  to  me, 
And  home  without  Thee  cannot  be. 


2.  Such  a  home  nature  desires,  sin  mars,  religion  restores,  heaven  realizes. 

3.  A  true  tome  is  the  best  earthly  type  of  the  heavenly  state.  4.  The 
Bize  of  the  house  not  the  measure  of  home  happiness.  If  God  be  in  the 
cottage,  it  'will  hold  happiness  enough  to  stock  a  palace.  To  Adam,  para- 
dise before  the  fall  was  a  home:  to  the  good  among  his  descendants,  a  true 
Lome  is  paradise. 


18 


TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS. 


Furniture.] 


MAXM'IiS  AXO  CCSTt-'MS. 


[Domestic 


I.  Descriptive. — The  F.  in  E.  house  very  simple  in  early  times  ; 
of  the  poor,  very  few  articles,  and  only  such  as  were  absolutely 
necessary.  In  inner  rooms  are  sets  of  large,  square-headed  nails, 
wh.  are  inserted  while  the  walls  are  soft. 
(Ezra  ix.  8  ;  Is.  xxii  23),  on  wh.  are  hung 
various  utensils.  The  room  prepared  by 
the  rich  woman  of  Shunem,  who  wished  to 
do  honour  to  the  prophet,  was  but  poorly 
furnished,  ace.  to  our  ideas  of  comfort 
(2  Iv.  iv.  10,  cf.  13).  In  place  of  chairs,  they 
sat  on  mats  and  skins,  wh.,  with  thin  mat- 
tresses (beds)  spread  upon  them,  served 
instead  of  bedsteads,  the  upper  garment 
being  the  covering  (Ex.  xxii.  25-27  ;  Deu. 
xxiv.  12, 13).  Even  of  the  rich,  the  rooms 
would  seem  empty  to  us  ;  yet  they  some- 
times had  carpets,  couches,  sofas,  etc.,  wh. 
Ancient  Chaib.  occasionally  were  inlaid  with  ivory  (Am. 

vi.  4),  and  the  coverings  of  tapestry  were  perfumed  (Pr.  vii.  16,  17). 
"  Orientals  are  also  far  behind  the  day  in  almost  every  branch  of 
domestic  economy,  especially  in  table  furniture  and  their  mode  of 
eating.  The  general  custom,  even  of  the  better  clasr-es,  is  to  bring  a 
polygonal  stool,  ab.  14  in.  high,  into  the  common  sitting-room.  On 
this  is  placed  a  tray  of  basket-work,  or  of  metal,  generally  copper, 
upon  wh.  the  food  is  arranged:  The  bread  lies  on  the  mat  beneath 
the  tray,  and  a  cruse  of  water  stands  near  by,  fr.  wh.  all  drink  as 
they  have  need."  (T.  L.  B.  126  ;  also  see  cut,  page  20.)  Where  Euro- 
pean manners  have  been  aped,  "  it  has  generally  proved  a  miserable 
failure.  The  knives,  forks,  and  spoons  are  rusty  ;  the  plates,  dishes, 
and  glasses  are  ill-assorted,  dirty,  badly  arranged,  and  not  in  suffi- 
cient quantity  ;  the  chairs  are  rickety,  and  the  table  stands  on  legs 
spasmodic  and  perilous.  The  whole  thing,  in  short,  is  an  uncom- 
fortable burlesque  or  a  provoking  caricature."     (Ibid.,  128.) 

II.  Bible  References.— Stool  (2  K.  iv.  10  ;  seat,  1  S.  i.  9).  Bottles, 
made  of  skins  (Ge.  xxi.  14  ;  Jos.  ix.  4,  13  ;  Job  xxxii.  19 ;  Ps.  cxix.  83 ; 
Mat.  ix.  17) ;  of  earthenware  (Is.  xxx.  14,  marg.)  ;  Jer.  xix.  1,  10,  xlviii. 
12)  ;  trans,  pitcher  (Lam.  iv.  2).  Crme  (1  S.  xxvi.  11 ;  1  K.  xiv.  3  ;  2  K. 
ii.  20).  Pitcher  (Mk.  xiv.  13)  carried  on  shoulder  (Ge.  xxiv.  18,  45,  46) ; 
Gideon's  (Jud.  vii.  10-20) ;  trans,  barrel  (1  K.  xvii.  12;  xviii.  33) ;  ill.  (Ecc. 
xii.  6).  Pillow,  or  bolster  (Ge.  xxviii.  11,  18;  1  S.  xxvi.  7,  11,  16;  1  K. 
xix.  6  ;  Ez.  xiii.  18,  20;  Mk.  iv.  38)  ;  of  goats' -hair  (1  S.  xix.  13,  16). 
Peel,  or  couch,  see  p.  2  (Ge.  xlvii.  31,  xlix.  4 ;  Ex.  viii.  3  ;  1  S.  xix.  13-15 ; 
Pr.  vii.  16,  17  ;  Song  i.  16  ;  Is.  xxviii.  20  ;  Ez.  xxiii.  41  ;  Am.  iii.  12  ; 
Mat.  ix.  6  ;  Mk.  iv.  21  ;  Lu.  v.  19  ;  Ac.  v.  15)  ;  of  iron  (Deu.  iii.  xi.) ; 
wood  (Song  iii.  7-9)  ;  ivory  (Am.  vi.  4)  ;  gold  or  silver  (Est.  i.  6). 
King's,  guarded  (Song  iii.  7).     Used  by  day  (2  S.  iv.  5,  xi.  2)  ;  at  meals 

"  ;  Lu.  vii 


(1  S.  xxviii.  23-25 ;  Est.  vii.  8  ;  Am.  vi.  4-6 


;  Jo.  xiii.  23); 


TOriCS    FOR   TEACHERS.  19 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Furniture. 

ill.  (Job  xvii.  13;  Ps.  exxxix.  8;  Is.  xlvii.  2;  Song  vi.  2).  Lamp,  an 
oval  basin  of  earthenware,  in  wh.  a  wick  is  placed  and  fed  with  olive  oil 
(Mat.  xxv.  3-8)  ;  design  (2  Pet.  i.  19)  ;  burning  (Go.  xv.  17)  ;  shining 
(Jo.  v.  35);  used  for  lighting  tabernacle  (Ex.  xxv.  37);  rooms  (Ac.  xx.  8); 
chariots  (Nah.  ii.  3,  4)  ;  processions  (Mat.  xxv.  I)  ;  night  travellers 
(Jo.  xviii.  3)  ;  often  lighted  all  night  (Pr.  xxxi.  18) ;  placed  on  stand 
(Mat.  v.  15) ;  illuminated  tents  (Job  xxix.  3,  4)  ?  origin  of  dark-lantern 
(Jud.  vii.  16).  Candlestick;  or  lamp-stand  (2  K.  iv.  10 ;  Mat.  v.  15;  Ex. 
xxv.  31,  37  ;  Zech.  iv.  2).  Dish  (Jud.  v.  25 ;  2  K.  xxi.  13 ;  Mat.  xxvi.  23). 
Charger,  a  large  shallow  dish  (Nu.  vii.  13,  84  ;  Ezra  i.  9  ;  Mat.  xiv.  8)  ; 
trans,  platter  (Lu.  xi.  39) ;  for  kneading-trou^hs  and  mills,  see  Bread. 
Cup  (Go.  xl.  1 1  ;  2  S.  xii.  3 ;  1  K.  vii  26 ;  Mat.  xxiii.  25)  ;  of  silver 
(Ge.  xliv.  2).  Bowls  and  basins  (Ex.  xii.  22  ;  Jud.  vi.  38  ;  2  S.  xvii.  28  ; 
Am.  vi.  6 ;  Jo.  xiii.  5).  Basket  (Ge.  xl.  16,  17  ;  Lev.  viii.  31  ;  Deu.  xxviii. 
5 ;  Am.  viii.  1 ;  2  K.  x.  7 ;  Jud.  vi.  19 ;  Jer.  vi.  9,  xxiv.  1  ;  Mat.  xiv.  20, 
xv.  37,  xvi.  9 ;  Mk.  vi.  43,  viii.  8 ;  Lu.  ix.  17 ;  Jo.  vi.  13 ;  Ac.  ix.  25  ; 
2  Cor.  xi.  33). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Analogies.— Candlestick,  ill.  Christ 
(Zee.  iv.  2  ;  Jo.  viii.  12  ;  Heb.  ix.  2)  ;  the  Church  (Rev.  i.  13,  20)  ;  minis- 
ters  (Mat.  v.  14-16).  Lamjis,  word  of  God  (Ps.  cxix.  105;  Pr.  vi.  23). 
Omniscience  of  Christ  (Dan.  x.  6  ;  Rev.  i.  14);  graces  of  spirit  (Rev.  iv. 
5)  j  salvation  (Ge.  xv;  17;  Is.  lxii.  1)  ;  Divine  guidance  (2  S.  xxii.  29; 
Ps.  xviii.  28)  ;  soul  (Prov.  xx.  27)  ;  ministers  (Jo.  v.  35) ;  wise  rulers 
(2  S.  xxi.  17,  marg.) ;  judgments  (Rev.  viii.  10)  ;  heirs  (1  K.  xi.  36,  xv. 
4);  put  out,  destr.  of  wicked  (Job  xviii.  5,  6,  marg.,  xxi.  17,  marg.;  Pr. 
xiii.  9) ;  quenched,  of  destr.  of  those  who  curse  parents  (Pr.  xx.  20). 
Bottles :  Divine  remembrance  of  human  sorrow,  esp.  sorrow  for  sin  (Ps. 
lvi.  8).  "  These  lachrymatories  (tear-bottles,  in  wh.  the  tears  of  mourners 
are  kept)  are  still  found  in  great  numbers  on  opening  ancient  tombs.  A 
sepulchre  lately  disc,  in  one  of  the  gardens  of  our  city  had  scores  of  them 
in  it.  They  are  made  of  thin  glass,  or  more  generally  of  simple  pottery, 
often  not  even  baked  or  glazed,  with  a  slender  body,  a  broad  bottom,  and 
a  funnel-shaped  top."  (T.  L.  B.,  103 ;  and  cut.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Knowledge  the  f.  of  the  mind  ;  hope,  trust, 
etc.,  of  the  soul.  f.  should  suit  the  house,  be  well-arranged,  etc. ;  if  ill- 
assorted  and  disorderly,  an  apartment  resembles  a  lumber-room.  Apply 
this  to  mental  f.  Some  people  have  much  mental  p.,  but  not  to  hand : 
want  of  method  in  study,  and  arrangement  of  facts.  Houses  may  be 
furnished  with  knicknacks,  solid  f.  wanting ;  so  the  mind  and  heart  {all. 
trifles,  vain  thoughts,  etc.)  f.  needs  constant  dusting,  polishing,  etc.,  in 
order  to  preservation  ;  so  knowledge  must  be  revised  and  reviewed.  The 
house  of  the  heart  needs  to  be  swept  and  garnished,  that  it  may  be  a  home 
meet  for  the  Saviour.  So  holy  an  occupant  will  not  dwell  in  an  unclean 
place.  The  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit  fitting  f.  for  the  soul.  Faith,  a 
good  table  (Mat.  vi.  26  ;  Lu.  xii.  24).  Love,  a  good  sauce  for  every  meal 
(Pr.  xv.  17).  Hope,  a  good  light  to  cheer  the  heart  with  its  brightness  in 
the  darkest  hour  (Job  xxxvii.  21,  22).  And  peace,  even  the  peace  which 
passeth  understanding,  a  good  couch  to  sleep  securely  upon,  while  God 
keeps  watch  over  us  (Ps.  exxi.  3,  4). 


20 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


MAiVlf£JlS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Domestic 


Hand-washing. 


I.  Descriptive.— r.  of  Hebrews  simple ;  consisted  chiefly  of 
milk,  honey,  rice,  vegetables,  etc.,  meat  not  being  so  palatable  or 
nutritious  in.  warm  climates.     1.  VEGETABLE  :  Bread  the  chief  (see 

Bread).  Was  dipped 
in  some  light  drink 
(Ku.  ii.  14),  or  gravy 
of  meat  (Jo.  xiii.  26, 
cf.  Jud.  vi.  19) ;  with 
salt  (Job  vi.  6)  ;  with 
vegetables  (Ex.  xii.  8). 
Corn  rubbed  fr.  ears 
(Deu.  xxiii.  25  ;  Mat. 
xii.  1);  parched  (Ku. 
ii.  14 ;  1  S.  xvii.  ]  7)  ; 
bruised,  and  eaten  wi. 
oil  (Lev.  ii.  14-16; 
Pr.  xxvii.  22).  Zen- 
tiles,  q.  v.  (Ge.  xxv. 
29,  34).  Various  (Nu. 
xi.  5).  Mallows  (Job  xxx.  4).  Bitter  herbs  (Ex.  xii.  8).  Herbs 
(2  K.  iv.  39) ;  but  a  dinner  of  herbs  was  considered  homely  fare 
(Pr.  xv.  17).  Juniper  roots  in  time  of  scarcity  (Job  xxx.  4).  Cori- 
ander, etc.,  used  as  condiments  (Ex.  xvi.  31  ;  Mat.  xiii.  31,  xxiii.  23; 
Lu.  xi.  42).  2.  Fruit:  Figs  eaten  ripe  (Hos.  ix.  11);  dried  (1  S. 
xxv.  18,  xxx.  12) ;  summer-fruits,  prob.  =  cake  of  figs  (2  S.  xvi.  1), 
are  still  a  com.  diet.  Grapes,  fresh  (Deu.  xxiii.  24),  or  as  raisins. 
Pomegranates  (Song  viii.  2;  Hag.  ii.  19).  Apples  or  citrons  (Song 
ii.  5).  Mulberries  (Lu.  xvii.  6 ;  see  Sycamine-tree).  Sycamore  fig, 
q.  v.  (1  K.  x.  27  ;  Am.  vii.  14),  Nuts,  almonds  (Ge.  xliii.  11).  Olives. 
"The  berry  pickled  forms  the  general  relish  to  the  farmer's  dry 
bread.  He  goes  forth  to  his  work  in  the  field  at  early  dawn,  or  sets 
out  on  a  journey,  with  no  other  provision  than  olives  wrapped  up  in 
a  quantity  of  his  paper- like  loaves,  and  with  this  he  is  contented." 
(T.  L.  B.,  55.)  3.  Animal  food  :  prob.  not  allowed  before  flood  (Ge. 
i.  29,  ii.  16,  17,  iii.  18,  19);  afterwards  promised  to  the  obedient 
(Deu.  xii.  5-7,  15,  20-22).  Oxen,  sheep,  calves,  lambs,  kids,  deer, 
fowl  (Ge.  xviii.  7,  xxvii.  9;  Nu.  xi.  31,  32;  Jud.  vi.  19;  IS.  xvi.  20, 
xxvi.  20,  xxviii.  24;  2  S.  xii.  4 ;  1  K.  i.  9,  iv.  23;  Neh.  v.  18;  Ps. 
lxxvii.  27;  Pr.  xv.  17;  Is.  xxii.  13;  Am.  vi.  4;  Mat.  xxii.  4;  Lu. 
xv.  23,  29).  Locusts  (Mat.  iii.  5).  Fish  of  sea  (Neh.  xiii.  16) ;  of 
lakes  (Mat.  xiv.  17-19,  xv.  34,  36;  Jo.  xxi.  9).  Prohibited  food 
(Lev.  xi. ;  Deu.  xiv.  1-20).  In  remembrance  of  Jacob's  conflict 
with  the  angel,  the  sinew  in  the  thigh  (nervus  ischiadicus)  not 
eaten  (Ge.  xxxii.  25,  31,  32),  nor  fat  of  sacrifices  (Lev.  iii.  9-11, 
14-16,  vii.  23-25;  1  S.  ii.  15,  16;  2  Ch.  vii.  7).  "Fat,"  in  Neh. 
viii.  1 0,  prob.  =  choice  portions.    Eggs,  milk  (fresh  and  sour),  butter, 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHER8.  21 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Pood- 

cheese,  honey  (butter  and  honey  =  good  fare),  oil,  etc.  (Ge.  xviii.  8, 
xliii.  11;  Jud.  iv.  19,  v.  25 ;  I  S.  xiv.  27,  xvii.  18;  2  S.  xvii.  29; 
1  K.  xiv.  3,  xvii.  12-16;  Pr.  xxi.  17;  Is.  x.  14,  lix.  5;  Lu.  xi.  12). 
Food  in  famine  (2  K.  vi.  25-29).  Prison  diet  (1  K.  xxii.  27;  Jer. 
xxxviii.  9).  4.  Drink  :  Water,  sour  milk,  vinegar,  or  sour  wine 
(Ru.  ii.  14),  and  wine,  or  "strong  drink." 

II.  Preparation,  Cooking.— Animal  food  will  not  "keep;" 
hence  not  much  used,  save  on  great  occasions,  and  for  hospitality  (Ge. 
xviii.  7 ;  Lu.  xv.  23).  Killed  by  cutting  throat  (Lev.  vii.  26).  Roasted 
whole  (Ex.  xii.  46),  over  a  firo  (Ex.  xii.  8)  of  wood  (Is.  xliv.  16),  or  in 
oven,  i.  e.,  a  hole  dug  in  earth,  heated,  and  covered  up :  more  usually 
boiled  (Ex.  xvi.  23),  when  it  was  cut  up.  Right  shoulder  first  cut  off  (Lev. 
vii.  32) ;  flesh  of  rest  minced,  hones  broken  (Mic.  iii.  3) ;  all  thrown  into 
caldron  (Ez.  xxiv.  4,  5),  with  water  (Ex.  xii.  9),  or  sometimes  with  milk 
(Ex.  xxiii.  19),  and  boiled  over  wood  fire  (Ez.  xxiv.  10) ;  the  scum  taken 
off,  and  salt  or  spices  added  (ver.  6-10).  When  cooked,  meat  and  broth 
served  separately  (Jud.  vi.  19) ;  both  used  with  unleavened  hread  (Ge. 
xviii.  8).  Meat  sometimes  highly  spiced  (Ge.  xxvii.  4 ;  Pr.  xxiii.  3). 
Vegetables:  boiled  as  pottage  (Ge.  xxv.  29  ;  2  K.  iv.  38).  Fish:  broiled 
(Lu.  xxiv.  42). 

III.  Cooking  "Utensils.— A  kind  of  range,  prob.  of  earthenware, 
with  places  for  pots  (Lev.  xi.  35)  ;  a  caldron  (1  S.  ii.  14)  ;  large  fork,  or 
flesh-hook.  A  large  basin-shaped  vessel  as  wash-pot  (Ps.  lx.  8),  or  to  eat 
from  (Ex.  xvi.  3).  Various  pots,  cups,  platters,  and  also  dishes  (2  K.  ii.  20, 
xxi.  13;  Pr.  xix.  24,  a.  v.,  "bosom").     See  art.  "Cooking"  S.  B.  D. 

IV.  Meals. — (See  also  Banquets.)  Heb.  meals  not  dis.,  as  ours,  by 
special  names.  The  chief,  prob.  in  evening  (Lu.  xiv.  16-24;  Jo.  xii.  2; 
Rev.  xix.  17).  Chief  Egyptian  prob.  noon  (Ge.  xliii.  16,  25).  Abraham 
entertained  angels  in  heat  of  day ;  Lot,  in  evening  (xviii.  1-5,  xix.  1-3). 
There  certainly  was  a  meal  at  noon  (Ru.  ii.  14,  15) ;  harvest  feast  in 
evening  (iii.  2-7;  compare  also  Ex.  xviii.  12-14,  xvi.  12,  xii.  6,  8;  Lev. 
xxiii.  5,  32 ;  Ps.  civ.  23,  cxxviii.  3;  1  K.  xx.  16;  Is.  v.  11).  Though  not 
decisive,  these  passages  lead  us  to  suppose  there  were  generally  two  meals 
(Lu.  xiv.  22).  "Their  relative  importance,  as  with  ourselves,  varied  ace. 
to  the  time,  and  the  circumstances  of  the  individuals."  (T.  B.  K.  See 
also  /.  B.  A.,  ix.  145.) 

V.  Gluttony.  —  Christ  falsely  accused  of  (Mat.  xi.  19);  wicked 
addicted  to  (Phi.  iii.  19 ;  Jude  12) ;  induces  carnal  security  (Is.  xxii.  13, 
cf.  1  Cor.  xv.  32 ;  Lu.  xii.  19) ;  poverty  (Pr.  xxiii.  21).  g.  of  princes 
(Ecc.  x.  16,  17).  Inconsistent  in  saints  (1  Pet.  iv.  3).  Caution  (Pr.  xxiii. 
2,  3;  Lu.  xxi.  34;  Rom.  xiii.  13,  14);  to  pray  against  (Ps.  cxli.  4); 
punishment  of  (Nu.  xi.  33,  34,  cf.  Ps.  lxxviii.  31 ;  Deu.  xxi.  21 ;  Am.  vi. 
4-7);  danger  of  (Lu.  xii.  45,  46).  Examples:  Esau  (Ge.  xxv.  30-34, 
cf.  Heb.  xii.  16,  17)  ;  Israel  (Nu.  xi.  4,  cf.  Ps.  lxxviii.  18) ;  Sons  of  Eli 
(1  S.  ii.  12-17) ;  Belshazzar  (Dan.  v.  1). 

VI.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Waste  not,  want  not.  2.  "He  that  eats 
till  he  is  full,  is  quite  a  beast ;  he  that  drinks  till  he  is  drunk,  is  worse  than 
a  beast."  (Cobbett.)  3.  Health  promoted  by  simplicity,  regularity,  and 
moderation  in  eating.  4.  Soul  needs  food  as  well  as  body.  This  food 
•we  should  strive  to  obtain  (Jo.  vi.  27,  32-35). 


22  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Bread,  No.  1.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Domestic 

I.  Meaning  of  term.— 1.  Primary  meaning  :  Food  made  of 
cereals— as  wheat,  barley,  rye— ground  into  fi>ur,  mixed  with  oil 
or  water,  and  a  little  leaven    (or   yeast)  to   lighten   it ;    and   then 

baked  in  an  oven.  [b.  fr.  A.-S.  bread, 
breod,  fr.  breotan,  breodan,  to  break  ;  or 
breowan,  to  brew ;  or  fr.  bray,  to  pound. 
Leaven,  Fr.  letain — lever.  Lat.  levo,  to 
raise — levis,  light.  Yeast,  A.S.gist;  Old 
Ger.  jest,  gis  ;  Ger.  gascht ;  gahren,  to 
ferment,  froth.]  2.  'Wider  meaning  : 
Food  in  general.  The  importance  of 
B.  in  eyes  of  Hebrews  testified  by  use 
of  term  lechem  (originally  food  of  any 
kind),  specifically  for  B.  ;  as  well  as  by 
expression  "  staff  of  bread"  (Lev.  xxvi. 
Eastern  Mill.  26  ;    Ps.  CV.   16  ;    Ez.  iv.   16,  xiv.   13). 

Hence,  also,  we  speak  of  "  earning  our  bread,"  i.  e.  livelihood. 

II.  Utensils  used  in  preparation.— 1.  For  Grinding:  (1) 
sometimes  pounded  in  a  mortar  (Nu.  xi.  8).  (2)  Mills  (R.  B.  It.,  ii. 
181)  worked  with  the  hand  (see  cut) ;  often  by  two  persons  (Mat.  xxiv. 
41)  ;  consisted  of  two  circular  stones  ab.  2  ft.  in  dia.  The  nether, 
i.  e.  lower  (Job  xli.  24)  fixed  in  floor  and  convex,  the  upper,  i.  e. 
the  rider  (Jud.  ix.  53,  Heb. ;  2  S.  xi.  21)  was  concave.  The  corn 
was  intro.  handful  at  a  time,  through  hole  in  top.  Turned  by  handle, 
fixed  in  upper  stone.  One  took  the  handle,  and  turned  the  stone 
halfway  round,  the  other  then  completed  the  revolution  (Ex.  xi.  5  ; 
Job  xxxi.  10,  11  ;  Is.  xlvii.  2);  only  enough  ground  for  day's  need, 
hence  nether  millstone  not  to  be  taken  in  pledge  (Leu.  xxiv.  6).  As 
a  household  morning  employment,  all  the  mills  of  a  town  would  be 
heard  together  (Jer.  xxv.  10  ;  Rev.  xviii.  22).  The  labour  being 
severe,  and  moreover  degrading — as  women's  work — prisoners  taken 
in  war  sometimes  employed  in  grinding  (Jud.  xvi.  21  ;  Lam.  v.  31). 
2.  For  Kneading  :  (1)  The  Arabs  use  simply  a  leathern  bag,  (2)  or 
a  wooden  bowl  (Ex.  viii.  3,  xii.  34  ;  Deu.  xxviii.  5-7).  As  they  had 
no  time  to  leaven  it  on  the  eve  of  the  Exodus,  the  Jews,  in  memory  of 
that  fact,  to  this  day  use  unleavened  B.  at  feast  of  Passover.  3.  For 
Baking:  Ocens  of  dif.  kinds.  (1)  Fire  kindled  on  smooth  ground, 
raked  aside  ;  cakes  placed  on  heated  spot  and  covered  with  embers 
(Ge.  xviii.  6  ;  Ex.  xii.  39  ;  IK.  xvii.  13  ;  Ez.  iv.  12).  (2)  Shallow 
bole,  6  in.  deep,  3  or  4  ft.  wTide,  filled  with  brushwood,  lighted  ; 
pebbles  thrown  in  to  retain  heat.  "When  heated,  cleaned  out ;  cakes 
—two  fingers  thick— placed  in,  and  remain  all  night.  This  still 
common  in  East.  (3)  Pit  sunk  in  floor,  4  or  5  ft.  deep,  3  ft.  wide, 
lined  with  compost ;  fire  at  bottom ;  cakes  baked  against  sides 
(Ex.  viii.  3).  (4)  Vessel  of  stone,  or  earthenware  ;  fire  kindled 
within,  and  then  removed ;  cakes  baked  on  outside  or  inside.     In 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  23 

liife.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Bread,  No.  1. 

early  times  each  fain,  had  its  own  oven  ;  later,  there  were  public 
bakeries,  and  bakers  seem  to  have  dwelt  together  (Jer.  xxxvii.  21). 

III.  Figurative  uses  of  term  Bread.— l.  Whole  food  of  man 

(Go.  hi.  19,  xxxix.  6  ;  Mat.  vi.  11).  2.  "  Want  of  b."  (Pr.  xii.  9;  Is. 
iii.  7)  =  extreme  poverty.  So  also  "  seeking  "  or  "  begging  "  b.  (1  S.  ii. 
i!6  ;  Ps.  xxxvii.  25;  Lam.  i.  11).  3.  "Fulness  of  b."  (Ez.  xvi.  49)  = 
abundance,  and  so  also  "eating  without  scarceness  "  (Deu.  viii.  9).  4. 
"  b.  of  adversity"  (Is.  xxx.  20)  and  "of  tears"  (Ps.  lxxx.  5)  :=  affliction. 
5.  "  b.  -of  deceit  "  (Pr.  xx.  17)  =  unlawful  gain.  6.  "  b.  of  wickedness  " 
(Pr.  iv.  17)  =  unlawful  gain.  7-  "  n.  of  idleness"  (Prov.  xxxi.  27)  = 
sloth,  and  its  fruit  in  a  scanty  supply  (see  2  Thess.  hi.  10). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  "  Scarcity  of  b." 
sometimes  sent  as  a  punishment  (Ps.  cv.  16 ;  Is.  iii.  1  ;  Ez.  v.  16 ;  Job  xv. 
23).  Modern  famines  may  have  moral  causes,  as  well  as  the  physical 
ones  that  science  and  legislation  are  content  with  investigating.  2. 
"  Plenty  of  b."  promised  to  the  obedient  (Lev.  xxvi.  5  ;  Ps.  xxvii.  25). 
3.  The  multitudes  who  followed  Christ  miraculously  fed  with  b.  (Mat. 
xiv.  19-21,  xv.  34-37),  and  His  followers  have  now  the  promise  of  "  the 
life  that  now  is,"  etc.  (Lu.  xvi.  25 ;  Mat.  v.  5,  vi.  33).  4.  Jesus  is  the 
"B.  of  life"     (Jo.  vi.  33,  35). 


'  Bread  of  heaven  !  on  Thee  I  feed, 
Fur  Thy  flesh  is  meat  indeed. 
Ever  may  my  soul  be  fed 


With  this  true  and  living  bread  : 
Day  by  day  with  strength  supplied 
Through  the  life  of  Him  who  died." 
(Condcr.) 


5.  The  death  of  Christ  ill.  by  broken  b.  (Mat.  xxvi.  26,  cf.  1  Cor.  xi.  23,  24). 

6.  And  partaking  of  it  thus  broken  ill.  the  communion  of  saints  (Ac.  iv. 
46  ;   I  Cor.  x.  17). 

V.  Practical   Hints. — 1.    "  Wilful  waste    makes    woeful   want." 
"  We  must  not  throw  upon  the  floor,"  etc.    (Jo.  vi.  12). 
"  Oh,  waste  thou  not  the  smallest  thing  created  by  Divinity; 

For  grains  of  sand  the  mountains  make,  atomies  infinity. 

Waste  thou  not,  then,  the  smallest  time,  'tis  imbecile  infirmity ; 

For  well  thou  know'st,  if  aught  thou  know'st,  that  seconds  form  eternity." 

(Knight.) 

2.  Industry  and  economy  the  handmaids  of  contentment  and  plenty.  3. 
The  body  may  be  fed  with  b.,  and  the  soul  starve  through  lack  of  b.  of 
life.     4.  Earnestly  pray,  "  Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  bread." 


[Addenda. — Baking  of  b.  became  a  profession  at  Rome  170,  b.c.  After 
conquest  of  Macedon,  many  Greek  bakers  came  to  Rome,  obtained  special 
privileges,  and  soon  obtained  the  monopoly  of  the  baking  trade.  During 
the  siege  of  Paris  by  Henry  IV.,  owing  to  the  famine  wh  then  raged,  b., 
wh.  had  been  sold,  whilst  any  remained,  for  a  crown  a  pound,  was  at  last 
made  fr.  the  bones  of  the  charnel-house  of  the  Holy  Innocents,  1594. 
(Renault.)  In  the  time  of  James  I.,  barley-B.  was  used  by  the  poor:  and 
now,  in  Iceland,  cod-fish,  beaten  to  powder,  is  made  into  bread. 


24 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Bread,  No.  2.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Domestic 


I.  Various  Kinds  of  Bread.— 1.  Baked  on  the  hearth,  i.e., 
on  hearth-stone.  Sometimes  called  "B.  baked  on  the  coals,"  the 
fire  being  withdrawn  after  the  stone  is  heated  (Lev.  ii.  7).    2.  Baked 

IN  A  pan.    The  pan,  or  "  back  [i.e.,  baking] 
jSSr    ^5  stone "  placed  on  a  slow  fire.     The  cakes 

baked  on  the  top  of  it  (Lev.  ii.  6) ;  such  B. 
could  be  broken  up  and  re-made.    3.  Baked 
in  ovens  (see  also  B.  No.  1)  (Lev.  ii.  4). 
Of  oven-B.   two   principal   kinds:    (1)   B. 
baked  inside  (Lev.  viii.  26;    2  S.  vi.  19), 
{£    and   (2)   outside.      The   oven   being   made 
^<     sufficiently  hot,  the  dough,  mixed  to  thin 
batter,  is  poured  on.     This  called  wafer-B., 
or  biscuit  (Ex.  xvi.  31,  xxix.  23;  Lev.  ii.  4, 
vii.  12,  viii.  26).     4.  Fancy  b.    In  addition 
to  above,  there  seem  to  have  been   some 
kinds  not  included  in  them.     "  Cracknels  " 
Coriander.  (1  k   xiy>  3>  mar^)  .    « sweet  cakes»   (2   g. 

xiii.  6).  If  the  oven  be  not  properly  heated,  the  B.  is  scorched  on 
one  side,  and  not  done  on  the  other ;  hence  the  all.  (Hos.  vii.  8).  It 
is  a  tough,  unsavoury  morsel,  ill.  one-sided,  prejudiced  men. 

II.  Bread  Materials. — 1.  Wheat  (Ex.  xxix.  2  ;  Ps.  Ixxxi.  16). 
2.  Barley  (Jud.  vii.  13 ;  Jo.  vi.  9 ;  2  K.  iv.  42 ;  Ez.  iv.  12).  3.  Beans 
and  Millet  (Ez.  iv.  9).  4.  Manna  (Nu.  xi.  8;  Neh.  ix.  15;  Ps. 
cv.  40). 

III.  Customs  relating  to  Bread.— 1.  Served  round  after 
funerals  (Ez.  xxiv.  17-22).  It  is  also  the  custom  in  many  parts  of 
England  to  have   at  burials  what  are   called  "funeral   biscuits." 

2.  B.  and  water  as  food  for  prisoners  (1  K.  xxii.  27;  Jer.  xxxvii.  21). 

3.  Crumb  of  B.  used  to  wipe  fingers  after  meals  (Mat.  xv.  27 ;  Lu. 
xvi.   21).     4.    First-fruits  of  B.  offered  to  God  (Nu.  xv.   19,   20). 

5.  B.  offered  with  certain  sacrifices  (Ex.  xxix.  2,  23 ;  Nu.  xxviii.  2). 

6.  B.  was  placed  on  table  with  shew-bread  (Ex.  xxv.  30).  7.  Giving 
of  B.  a  formal  token  of  hospitality  (Jud.  xix.  5  ;  1  S.  xxviii.  22, 
xxx.  11;  Jo.  xxi.  13;  2  K.  iv.  8;  Pr.  xxv.  21).  8.  An  ephab,  or 
3  measures,  a  common  quantitv  of  meal  to  bake  at  one  time  (Ge. 
xviii.  6;  Jud.  vi.  19;  Mat.  xviii.  33). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  b.  a  gift  of  God; 
so  also  is  Jesus  the  b.  of  life  (Ru.  i.  6,  cf.  Jo.  iii.  16 ;  2  Cor.  ix.  15). 
2.  b.  not  to  be  wasted  (Jo.  vi.  12)  ;  so  Christ,  the  true  Bread,  not  to  be 
slighted,  lest  He  one  day  be  sought  in  vain  (Pr.  i.  24-33).  3.  b.  the  staff 
of  life  (Lev.  xxvi.  26 ;  Ge.  xlvii.  12,  15) ;  so  Christ  is  the  stay  and  support 
of  spiritual  life.  4.  b.  is  strengthening  (Ps.  civ.  15) ;  so  also  is  Jesus. 
5.  b.  is  a  daily  need  (Mat.  vi.  11 ;  Lu.  ix.  33);  so  the  Christian  needs, 
each  day,  to  live  upon  his  Saviour  (Jo.  iii.  36). 


TOPICS   FOR   TEACHERS.  25 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Bread,  No.  2. 


*•  Day  by  day  the  manna  fell : 
Oh,  to  learn  this  lesson  well ! 
Still  by  constant  mercy  fed, 
Give  me,  Lord,  my  daily  bread. 


Day  by  day,  the  promise  reads — 
Daily  strength  for  daily  needs. 
Cast  foreboding  fears  away, 
Take  the  manna  of  to-day." 

(Conder.) 

[Mat.  vi.  1 1 :  Four  key- words  to  unlock  the  meaning  of  this  prayer : — 
1.  Dependence — "give."  2.  Sympathy — "us,"  "our."  3.  Contentment — 
"daily,"  "this  day."  4.  Moderation — "bread."]  6.  b.  must  be  worked 
for  (2  Thess.  iii.  8-12),  and  Jesus  must  be  diligently  sought  (Jo.  vi.  27, 
cf.  Pr.  xix.  15).  Men  of  world  often  more  diligent  in  seeking  food  for 
tody,  than  Christians  in  seeking  food  for  soul  (Lu.  xvi.  8).  Good  men. 
often  need  a  little  more  well-directed  worldly  wisdom.  7.  Bread,  regu- 
larly partaken  of,  fits  men  for  labour.  Men  must  work  to  eat,  and  eat  to 
work.  This  true  also  in  regard  to  spiritual  life.  This  true  in  regard  to 
b.  of  life.  Must  strive  to  possess  it,  that  we  may  be  strong  to  work  for 
God  (Jo.  xv.  5).  Both  the  working  and  partaking  must  be  habitual,  daily, 
regular.  8.  b.  a  universal  need;  so  is  Christ  (Ac.  vi.  12).  9.  b.  the 
best  of  temporal,  as  Christ  of  spiritual  good  (Song  v.  10;  Pr.  iii.  13-15 ; 
Ps.  lxxiii.  25  ;  Heb.  xi.  24-26).  One  never  tires  of  bread:  Christ  satisfies, 
but  does  not  satiate. 

V.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Duty  of  benevolence  (Ecc.  xi.  1).  "Arab 
proverb, '  Do  good  :  throw  b.  into  the  water,  it  will  one  day  be  repaid  thee.' 
Turks  say,  '  Do  good :  throw  b.  into  the  water ;  even  if  the  fish  does  not 
know,  yet  the  Creator  knows  it : '  i.  e.,  distribute  thy  b.  to  all  poor  people, 
whether  known  or  unknown  to  thee ;  throw  thy  b.  even  into  the  water, 
regardless  whether  it  swims,  and  who  may  derive  advantage  fr.  it,  whether 
men  or  fish ;  for  even  this  charity,  bestowed  at  a  venture,  God  will  repay 
thee  sooner  or  later."  (Von  Beig's  Memorabilia  of  Asia,  i.  106.)  2.  He 
must  win  b.  who  gives  b.  :  he  must  know  Christ  who  would  make  Him 
known.  3.  Need  of  daily  communion  with  Christ:  a  day  without  b. 
"would  weaken  the  body,  so  a  day  without  Christ  injurious  to  the  soul. 


b.  is  used  in  Ireland.  Near  Moscow  there  is  some  land  whose  clay  will 
ferment  when  mixed  with  flour.  The  Indians  of  Louisiana  eat  a  white 
earth  with  salt;  and  those  of  Oronooko  eat  a  white  unctuous  earth. 
(Greiy.  Phillips.)  The  London  bakers'  company  incorporated  1307. 
Bread-street,  once  the  London  market  for  b.  ;  until  1302  the  London 
bakers  were  not  allowed  to  sell  any  in  their  shops.  (Stow.)  b.  first  made 
with  yeast  by  English  bakers  in  1634.  Bread-fruit  tree  mentioned  by 
Dampier,  Anson,  Wallis.  etc.  A  vessel — the  Bounty — under  Capt.  Bligh, 
fitted  out  to  carry  some  to  var.  English  colonies  in  1789,  and  again  in 
1791.  1151  were  taken  to  Otaheite,  352  to  Jamaica,  a  few  to  St.  Helena, 
and  5  were  reserved  for  Kew  gardens  in  1793.  The  Corn  Importation 
Bill  (intro.  by  Sir  Robt.  Peel),  granting  a  free  trade  in  corn,  9  and  10 
Vict.,  c.  22,  received  the  royal  assent  June  26,  1846.  (Madyn's  Diet,  of 
Dales.)] 


26  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Marriage-]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOJifS.  [Domestic 

I.  Bible  References.— Design  :  Welfare  of  man  (Ge.  ii.  18); 
training  of  children  (Mai.  ii.  15)  ;  increase  of  race  (Ge.  i.  2S,  ix.  1) ; 
preventing  sin  (1  Cor.  vii.  2).  Incentive  to  (Ge.  iii.  15,  cf.  iv.  1, 
marg.)  Lawful  in  all  (1  Cor.  vii.  21,  28  ;  1  Tim.  v.  14).  Honourable 
(Heb.  xiii.  14).  Religiously  entered  into  (1  Cor.  vii.  39).  Called  : 
joining  (Mat.  xix.  6);  affinity  (1  K.  iii.  1);  taking  to  wife  (Ex.  ii.  1); 
giving,  etc.  (Deu.  vii.  3;  Ezra  ix.  12).  Indissoluble  (Mat.  xix.  6; 
Ro.  vii.  2,  3  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  39).  Betw.  relatives  in  patriarchal  times 
(Ge.  xx.  12,  xxiv.  24,  xxviii.  2).  Contr.  for  children  by  parents 
(xxiv.  49-51,  xxxiv.  6-8),  whose  consent  should  be  had  (xxviii.  8; 
Jud.  xiv.  2,  3);  who  might  refuse  consent  (Ex.  xxii.  17;  Deu.« 
xvii.  3).  Consent  of  parties  needful  (Ge.  xxiv.  57,  58  ;  IS.  xviii.  20, 
xxv.  41).  Jews  not  to  m.  nr.  relations  (Lev.  xviii.  6),  nor  idolaters 
(Deu.  vii.  3,  4;  Jos.  xxiii.  12;  Ezra  ix.  11,  12).  Often  M-.  foreigners 
(1  K.  xi.  1  ;  Neh.  xiii.  23).  Careful  in  contr.  M.  of  children  (Ge. 
xxiv.  2,  3  ;  xxviii.  1,  2).  Betrothed  before  (Deu.  xx.  7 ;  Jud.  xiv. 
5-8;  Mat.  i.  18),  when  young  (Pr.  ii.  17;  Joel  i.  8);  often  in  own 
tribe  (Ex.  ii.  1 ;  Nu.  xxxvi.  6-13;  Lu.  i.  5,  27).  Obliged  to  M.  wife 
of  brother  who  died  without  seed  (Deu.  xxv.  5;  Mat.  xxii.  24). 
Not  to  M.  a  reproach  (Is.  iv.  1) ;  a  grief  (Jud.  xi.  38) ;  debarred  fr. 
M.  a  punishment  (Jer.  vii.  34,  xvi.  9,  xxv.  10).  Divorce  allowed 
(Deu.  xxiv.  1,  cf.  Mat.  xix.  7,  8).  Not  to  go  to  war  directly  after 
(Deu.  xx.  7).  Priests  (Lev.  xxi.  7,  14).  Witnesses  (Ru.  iv.  1, 
10,  11).  Modes  of  asking  women  in  (Ge.  xxiv.  3,  4,  xxx.  6,  8 ;  IS. 
xxv.  39,  40).  Elder  dau.  before  younger  (Ge.  xxix.  26).  Dowry  to 
parents  (Ge.  xxix.  18,  xxxiv.  12;  1  S.  xviii.  27,  28;  Hos.  iii.  2). 
Celebrated:  Rejoicing  (Jer.  xxx.  11;  Jo.  iii.  29);  feasting  (Ge. 
xxix.  22;  Jud.  xiv.  10;  Mat.  xxii.  2,  3;  Jo.  ii.  1-10)  seven  days 
(Jud.  xiv.  12);  benediction  after  (Ge.  xxiv.  60;  Ru.  iv.  11,  12). 
Bride  :  Presents  (Ge.  xxiv.  53) ;  given  a  handmaid  (xxiv.  59,  xxix. 
24,  29);  adorned  (Is.  xlix.  18;  lxi.  10);  dress  (Ps.  xiv.  13,  14); 
attendants  (xiv.  9) ;  stood  to  right  of  bridegroom  (xiv.  9) ;  to  forget 
her  old  home  (xiv.  10).  Bridegroom:  adorned  (Ps.  lxi.  10);  at- 
tendants (Jud.  xiv.  11;  Jo.  iii.  29)  ;  presents  (Ps.  xiv.  12);  crowned 
(Song  iii.  11);  his  joy  (Is.  Ixii.  5);  took  home  bride  at  night  (Mat. 
xxv.  1-6);  garments  of  guests  (ii.  22,  xi.  1).  HUSBANDS:  (Ge.  ii. 
18,  23,  24,  xxiv.  67,  xxix.  20;  Deu.  xxiv.  5 ;  1  S.  i.  8;  Pr.  v.  18,  19; 
Ecc.  ix.  9  ;  Mal.  ii.  14,  15  ;  1  Cor.  vii.  14,  16,  xi.  3;  Eph.  v.  23-33 ; 
Col.  iii.  19 ;  1  Tim.  v.  8  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  7).  Wives  (Ge.  xviii.  6 ;  Mat. 
xxiv.  41 ;  Ex.  xxxv.  25,  26 ;  Pr.  xxxi. ;  Est.  i.  20 ;  Pr.  xi.  16,  xii. 
4,  xiv.  1,  xix.  14,  xviii.  22;  1  Cor.  vii.  1-17,  28-40,  xi.  3-15,  xiv. 
34,  35,  Eph.  v.  22-24,  33;  Col.  iii.  18;  1  Tim.  ii.  9-15,  iii.  11,  v. 
9-14;  Tit.  ii.  3-5;  1  Pet.  iii.  1-6). 

II.  History,  etc.,  of  Marriage. — 1.  Divine  institution  (Ge.  ii. 
18,  24).  2.  Monogamy  (Mal.  ii.  14,  15).  Nature  corroborates  Scripture, 
and  teaches  that  a  man  should  be  the  husband  of  one  wife ;  for  if  of  many 


TOriCS    FOR   TEACHERS.  27 

Life.]  MANSERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Marriage. 

"wives,  in  the  course  of  nature  many  more  females  than  males  would  be 
born.  It  is  even  said  that  at  birth  males  are  in  the  majority,  and  that  war, 
accident,  and  the  perils  of  masculine  life  only  serve  to  adjust  the  number 
of  men  to  that  of  women.  3.  M.  was  confirmed  by  Christ  (Mk.  x.  2-11 ; 
Jo.  ii.  1-11).  4.  Polygamy  (adopted  by  Turks  and  Mormons — unscrip- 
tural,  unnatural,  and  inexpedient)  prob.  originated  among  Cainites  (Go. 
iv.  19).  Noah  and  sons  restored  monogamy  :  aft.  polygamy  prevailed 
(Ge.  xvi.  4,  xxv.  1,  6,  xxviii.  9,  xxix.  23,  28;  1  Ch.  vii.  14).  Yet  (1) 
principle  of  monogamy  was  recognised  by  distinc.  betw.  the  chief  and 
secondary  wives,  or  (ace.  to  a.  v.)  concubines.  (2)  Polygamy  arose  fr. 
absorbing  desire  for  progeny,  wh.  esp.  influenced  the  Hebrews.  "It  must 
be  allowed  that  polygamy,  thus  legalized  and  systematized,  justified  to  a 
certain  extent  by  the  motive,  and  entered  into,  not  only  without  ofl'cnce  to, 
but  actually  at  the  suggestion  of,  those  (Ge.  xvi.  3,  xxix.  23,  28,  xxx.  4, 
9  ;  Ex.  xxi.  9,  10)  who,  ace.  to  our  notions,  -would  feel  most  deeply 
injured  by  it,  is  a  very  dif.  thing  fr.  what  polygamy  would  be  in  our 
own  state  of  society."  (S.  B.  D.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— m.  *'».  (l)  God's 
union  with  Jewish  nation  (Is.  liv.  5 ;  Jer.  iii.  14 ;  Hos.  ii.  19,  20).  (2) 
Christ's  union  with  Church  (Eph.  v.  23,  24,  32).  m.  sacred,  so  betroth- 
ment  (Deu.  xxii.  23,  24;  Mat.  i.  19).  Engagements  not  to  be  entered 
into  lightly,  or  broken  off  without  good  reason.  Harmony  of  tastes, 
circumstances,  age,  etc.,  needful  to  happiness  (2  Cor.  vi.  14).  "Single 
blessedness"  (a  contradiction  of  natural  law  and  Scriptural  precept) 
should  be  "  single  cursedness."  "  The  reason  why  so  few  m.  are  happy  is 
because  young  ladies  spend  their  time  in  making  nets,  not  in  making 
cages."  {Swift.)  Hasty  marriage  seldom  proveth  well."  (Shakspeare.) 
'•If  you  wish  to  m.  suitably,  m.  your  equal."  {Ovid.)  "Take  the  dau.  of 
a  good  mother."  {Fuller.)  "  Marriage  is  a  feast  where  the  grace  is  some- 
times better  than  the  dinner."  {Colton.)  "Choose  not  alone  a  proper 
mate,  but  proper  time  to  marry."  {Couper.)  "Of  all  actions  of  a  man's 
life,  his  m.  does  least  concern  other  people ;  yet  of  all  actions  of  our  life 
it  is  most  meddled  with  by  other  people."  {Selden.)  "  m.  is  the  best  state 
for  man  in  general ;  and  every  man  is  a  worse  man  in  proportion  as  he  is 
unfit  for  the  m.  state."  {Dr.  Johnson.)  "  m.  is  the  strictest  tie  of  perpetual 
friendship,  and  there  can  be  no  friendship  without  confidence,  and  no 
confidence  without  integrity;  and  he  must  expect  to  be  wretched  who  pays 
to  beauty,  riches,  or  politeness  that  regard  wh.  only  virtue  and  piety  can 
claim."  {Ibid.) 

"  Wedded  love  is  founded  on  esteem, 
Which  the  fair  merits  of  the  mind  engage ; 
For  those  are  charms  that  never  can  decay : 
But  time,  that  gives  new  whiteness  to  the  swan, 
Improves  their  lustre."  (Fenton.) 

"  God  has  set  the  type  of  marriage  before  us  throughout  all  creation. 
Each  creature  seeks  its  perfection  through  being  blent  with  another.  The 
very  heaven  and  earth  picture  it  to  us ;  for  does  not  the  sky  embrace  the 
green  earth  as  its  bride  ?  Precious,  excellent,  glorious  is  that  word  of  the 
the  Holy  Ghost,  •  The  heart  of  the  husband  doth  safely  trust  in  her.' " 
{Luther.) 


28  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Sickness.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Domestic 

I.  Diseases  many  and  various  (Mat.  iv.  24).  Mentioned  in 
Bible  :  Ague  (Lev.  xxvi.  16)  ;  abscess  (2  K.  xx.  7) ;  atrophy  (Job  xvi. 
8,  xix.  20) ;  blindness  (Job  xxix.  15  ;  Mat.  ix.  27) ;  boils  (Ex.  ix.  10}  ; 

consumption   (Lev.  xxvi.   16 ;   Deu.   xxviii.    22) ; 

demoniacal  possession  (Mat.  xv.  22 ;  Mk.  v.  15)  ; 

deafness  (Ps.  xxxviii.    13  ;  Mk.  vii.  32)  ; 


(Ps.  cii.  23;  Ez.  vii.   17);  dropsy  (Lu.   xiv.  2); 
dumbness    (Pr.  xxxi.  8 ;  Ma 


[at.  ix.  32) ;  dysentery 
(2  Ch.  xxi.  12-19;  J.  B.  A,  xii.  186;  Ac.  xxviii. 
8) ;  emerods  (Deu.  xxviii.  27 ;  1  S.  v.  6,  12)  ; 
fever  (Deu.  xxviii.  22;  Mat.  viii.  14);  impediment 
in  speech  (Mk.  vii.  32) ;  itch  (Deu.  xxviii.  27) ; 
inflammation  (Deu.  xxviii.  22)  ;  issue  of  blood 
(Mat.  ix.  20);  lameness  (2  S.  iv.  4;  2  Ch.  xvi. 
12) ;  leprosy  (J.  B.  A.,  xii.  188 ;  Lev.  xiii.  2  ;  2  K. 
v.  1  ;  Mat.  viii.  3,  x.  8;  Lu.  v.  13,  xvii.  13,  14)  ; 
g*g  loss  of  appetite  (Job  xxxiii.  20 ;  Ps.  cvii.  18) ; 
"~  lunacy  (Mat.  iv.  24,  xvii.  15) ;  melancholy  (1  S. 
xvi.  14)  ;  palsy  (Mat.  viii.  6,  ix.  2) ;  plague  (Nu. 
xi.  33  ;  2  S.  xxiv.  15,  21,  25) ;  scab  (Deu.  xxviii.  27) ;  sunstroke 
(2  K.  iv.  18-20;  Is.  xlix.  10)  ;  ulcers  (Is.  i.  6;  Lu.  xvi.  30) ;  worms 
(Ac.  xii.  23) ;  children  subject  to  (2  S.  xii.  15  ;  IK.  xvii.  17).  D. 
often  loathsome  (Ps.  xxxviii.  7,  xii.  8) ;  painfid  (2  Ch.  xxi.  15;  Job 
xxxiii.  19) ;  tedious  (Deu.  xxviii.  59  ;  Jo.  v.  5  ;  Lu.  xiii.  16)  ;  com- 
plicated (Deu.  xxviii.  60,  61  ;  Ac.  xxviii.  8) ;  incurable  (2  Ch.  xxi. 
18  ;  Jer.  xiv.  19). 

II.  Causes. — Divine  punishment  (Deu.  xxviii.  21;  Jo.  v.  14); 
hence  regarded  as  visitations  (Job  ii.  7-10;  Ps.  xxxviii.  2,  7); 
brought  fr.  other  lands  (Deu.  vii.  15)  ;  oft.  through  Satan  (1  S.  xvi. 
14-16;  Job  ii.  7);  intemperance  (Hos.  vii.  5);  sins  of  youth  (Job 
xx.  11). 

III.  Treatment. — Physicians  undertook  the  cure  of  (Jer.  viii. 
22  ;  Mat.  ix.  12  ;  Lu.  iv.  23).  Medicine  used  for  curing  (Pr.  xvii. 
22,  xx.  30,  marg.;  Jer.  xxx.  13,  xlvi.  11);  balsams  and  plasters 
(2  K.  xx.  7;  Is.  i.  6;  Jer.  viii.  22).  Wounds  (Is.  i.  6;  Lu.  x.  34); 
fractures  (Ez.  xxx.  21).  Art  of  curing  defective  (Job  xiii.  4  ;  Mk.  v. 
26).  God  often  besought  (2  S.  xiii.  16  ;  2  K.  xx.  1-3  ;  Ps.  vi.  2; 
Jas.  v.  14) ;  not  doing  so  condemned  (2  Ch.  xvi.  12).  Sick,  anointed 
(Mk.  vi.  13;  Jas.  v.  14),  laid  in  streets  for  advice  of  wayfarers 
(Mk.  vi.  56  ;  Ac.  v.  15).  Divine  aid  (Ps.  xii.  3),  and  cure  (2  K.  xx. 
5  ;  Jas.  v.  15). 

IV.  Illustrations.— Mat.  iv.  24,  25 :  "  The  news  that  a  foreign 
hakeem,  or  doctor,  was  passing  through  the  country,  very  soon  was 
spread  abroad  ;  and  at  every  halt  our  camp  was  thronged  with  the 
sick,  not  of  the  village  nr.  to  wh.  we  were  encamped,  but  of  all  sur- 
rounding villages.     Many  came  several  days'  journey  to  consult  our 


TOriCS   FOR   TEACHERS.  20 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Sickness. 


doctor,  and  were  brought  to  him  in  spite  of  every  dif.  and  inconveni- 
ence ;  some  came  on  asses,  bolstered  up  with  cushions,  and  supported 
by  their  relations  ;  others  on  camels,  whose  rough  pace  must  have 
been  a  torture  to  anyone  in  sickness."  {Moricrs  Second  Jo 
through  Persia,  53);  Mat.  viii.  23.  That  in  certain  diseases  of  the 
body  the  use  of  saliva  was  considered  effectual  in  producing  a  cure, 
is  a  modern  as  well  as  an  ancient  opinion  (see  Lightfoot,  Exercit.  ; 
Jo.  ix.) ;  Lu.  xii.  12.  "They  were  poor  people  afflicted  with  leprosy, 
who,  on  ace.  of  this  disease,  are  obliged  to  live  quite  apart,  but  are 
allowed  to  ask  alms.  As  soon  as  they  got  sight  of  us,  they  began  to 
lament  most  pitifully;  when  we  sailed  by  them,  we  gave  "them  some 
rice,.wh.  they  received  with  the  greatest  demonstrations  of  joy." 
(Dumpier s  Voyage,  ii.,  App.  i.  27);  Ac.  xix.  11,  12.  -'At  a  short 
distance,  nr.  the  roadside,  we  saw  the  burial-place  of  a  Persian  saint, 
enclosed  by  very  rude  walls.  Close  to  it  grew  a  small  bush,  upon 
the  branches  of  wh.  were  tied  a  variety  of  rags.  The  Persians  con- 
ceive that,  from  their  vicinity  to  the  saint,  they  acquire  peculiar 
preservative  virtues  against  sickness;  and,  substituting  others,  they 
take  bits  away,  and,  tying  them  about  their  persons,  use  them  as 
talismans."     (Morier,  239.) 

V.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— r>.  ill.  of  sin  (Is.  i.  5). 
Sin  the  worst  disease.     Affects  soul  ;  dif.  to  reach  ;  bears  fruit  in  eternity. 
Only  one  remedy — the  blood  of  Christ  (1  Jo.  i.  7).     Dif.  to  induce  d 
seek  for  it.     Christ  the  Good  Physician.     His  cure  of  the  body  ill.  and 
proved  His  power  to   cure  the  soul  (Mat.  ix.  5  ;  Mk.  ii.  9  ;  Lu.  v. 

He  says  to  each  of  us,  "Wilt  thou  be  made  whole  ?"  (Jo.  v.  6,  14  ;  Mat. 
ix.  12  ;  Mk.  ii.  17  ;  Lu.  v.  21).  Health  a  great  blessing:  be  thankful  for 
it,  and  seek  to  preserve  it.  "  Health  is  the  greatest  of  all  possi 
'tis  a  maxim  with  me  that  a  hale  cobbler  is  better  than  a  sick  king." 
(Bicker staff.)  "  The  only  wav  for  a  rich  man  to  be  healthy  is  by  exer- 
cise and  abstinence  to  live  as  if  he  were  poor."  (Temple.)  "Life  is  not 
to  live,  but  to  be  well."    (Martial.) 

VI.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Early  rising,  industry,  simple  fare, 
cheerfulness,  moderation,  cleanliness,  promoters  of  health.  2.  Sin  pro- 
duces sickness,  esp.  of  the  heart.  3.  In  sickness  beware  of  quack  doctors. 
4.  Thank  God  for  medical  skill  and  science;  and  seek  His  blessing  on  all 
human  remedies.  5.  Do  not  call  that  good  health  which  does  not  include 
health  of  soul.  6.  Many  who  say  they  "  never  knew  a  day's  sickness," 
really  never  knew  a  day's  health,  unless  they  know  Christ.  7.  Apply  to 
Him  speedily.  No  case  beyond  His  cure.  "Is  it  well  tcitJi  the  child?" 
8.  In  the  time  of  bodily  affliction,  submit  yourself  patiently  to  the  dealings 
of  infinite  wisdom  and  love. 

"  Should  pining  sickness  waste  away 
My  life  in  premature  decay, 
My  Father,  still  I  strive  to  sav, 

Thy  will  be  done !  "         (Elliot.) 

Vol  II.— 3 


30 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Death:] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Domestic 


Rachel's  Tomb, 
app.  (Dcu.  xxxii.  39 


I.  Death. — d.  is'defined  as  the  separation  of  the  soul  and  the 
body;  and  is  Called — asleep  (Deu.  xxxi.  16;  Jo.  xi.  11);  disso- 
lution (2  Cor.  v.  1);  putting  oft' this  tabernacle  (2  Pet.  i.  14);   God 

requiring  the  soul  (Lu.  xii.  20)  ;  going 

the  way  whence  no  return    (Job  xvi. 

22) ;  gathering  to  our  people  (Ge.  xlix. 

33)  ;  going  down  into  silence  (Ps.  cxv. 

17)  ;  yielding  up  the  ghost  (Ac.  v.  10)  ; 

returning  to   dust   (Ge.   iii.    19;    Ecc. 

xii.    7)  ;  being  cut  down  (Job  xiv.  2)  ; 

fleeing  as  a  shadow  (Job  xiv.  2) ;  de- 
a^s     parting  (Phi.  i.  23)  ;   going  way  of  all 

the  earth  (Jos.  xxiii.  14).  By  Adam 
§&  (Ge.  iii.  19  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22),  through 
^       sin  (Ge.  ii.  17;  Ro.  v.  12).    Lot  of  all 

(Ecc.  -viii.  8 ;  Heb.  ix.  27.)  Divine 
Job  xiv.  5)  ;  ends  our  schemes  (Ecc.  ix.  10) ; 
strips  of  property  (Job  i.  21  ;  1  Tim.  vi.  7) ;  levels  all  (Job  i.  21, 
iii.  17-19).  Christ  conquered  D.  (Ro.  vi.  9  ;  Rev.  i.  18);  and  abol- 
ished (2  Tim.  i.  10),  and  shall  finally  destroy  D.  (Hos.  xiii.  14; 
1  Cor.  xv.  26);  takes  away  fear  of  D.  (Heb.  ii.  15).  D.  at  hand 
(Job  xiv.  1,  2;  Ps.  xxxix.  4,  5,  xc.  9  ;  1  Pet.  i.  24)  ;  prepare  for 
(2  K.  xx.  1)  by  prayer  (Ps.  xxxix.  4,  13,  xc.  12)  ;  thought  of, 
motive  to  diligence  (Ecc.  ix.  10  ;  Jo.  ix.  4);  if  averted,  a  motive  to 
devotion  (Ps.  lvi.  12,  13,  cxvi.  7-9,  cxviii.  17;  Is.  xxxviii.  20). 
Enoch  and  Elijah  exempt  fr.  (Ge.  v.  24,  cf.  Heb.  xi.  5  ;  2  K.  ii.  11). 
All  to  be  raised  (Ac.  xxiv.  15).  No  D.  in  heaven  (Lu.  xx.  36; 
Rev.  xxi.  4). 

II.  The  Dead  (Ge.  xxiii.  2,  xxv.  8  ;  Job  i.  19)  are  called — 
corpses  (2  K.  xix.  35  ;  Nab.,  iii.  3)  ;  carcases  (Nn.  xiv.  29,  32,  33  ; 

1  K.  xiii.  24)  ;  those  who  are  not  (Mat.  ii.  18),  deceased  (Is.  xxvi. 
14  ;  Mat.  xxii.  25).  Marks  :  Without  the  spirit  (Jas.  ii.  26),  no 
motion  (Mat.  xxviii.  4;  Rev.  i.  17);  ignorant  of  human  affairs  (Ecc. 
ix.  5)  ;  no  passions  (ix.  6);  cannot  glorify  God  (Ps.  cxv.  17).  Do  not 
return  (Job  vii.  9,  10,  xiv.  10,  14).  Treatment:  Eves  closed  by  nr. 
kin  (Ge.  xlvi.  4)  ;  washed,  laid  out  (Ac.  ix.  37)  ;  wrapped  in  linen 
with  spices  (Jo.  xix.  40).  Mourning  :  Great  (Ge.  xxxvii.  35  ;  Jer. 
xxxi.  15  ;  Mat.  ii.  18  ;  Jo.  xi.  33)  ;  loud  (Jer.  xvi.  6  ;  Mk.  v.  38) ; 
by  hired  mourners  (Jer.  ix.  17,  18;  Am.  v.  16)  ;  music  (Jer.  xlviii. 
36;  Mat.  ix.  23).  Shown  by  dress  (2  S.  xiv.  2)  ;  tearing  hair  (Jer. 
xvi.  7) ;  cov.  head  (2  S.  xix.  4) ;  rending  garments  (Ge.  xxxvii.  34; 

2  S  iii.  31)  ;  for  many  days  (Ge.  xxxviii.  34,  1.  3,  10).  Wrong  ex- 
pressions of  grief  forbidden  (Lev.  xix.  28  ;  Deu.  xxiv.  1,2).  Cus- 
toms :  Regard  for  memory  (Ru.  i.  8)  ;  soon  forgotten  (Ps.  xxxi.  12  ; 
Ecc.  ix.  5) ;  offerings  to  (Deu.  xxvi.  14)  ;  touching  of  (Nu.  xix.  11, 
13,  16,  ix.  6,  7);  house  unclean  (Nu.  xix.  14,  15);  bones  caused  un- 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  31 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Death. 

cleanness  (Nu.  xix.  16,  cf  2  Oh.  xxxiv.  5) ;  mourning  of  priest  (Lev. 
xxi.  1-3  ;  Ez.  xliv.  25)  ;'  of  high-priest  (Lev.  xxi.  10,  11) ;  of  Naza- 
rites  (Nu.  vi.  G,  7) ;  uncleanness  contracted  fr.  (Nu  v.  2,  xix.  12,  18). 
Idolaters  tore  themselves  (Jcr.  xvi.  7)  ;  sacrificed  to  (Deu.  xxvi.  14  ; 
l's.  cvi.  2S) ;  invoked  (1  S.  xxviii.  7,  8).  Jews  expected  resurrection 
of  (Is.  xxvi.  15;  Ac.  xxiv.  1  o).  Raised  to  life  before  Christ,  etc. 
(1  K.  xvii.  22  ;  2  K.  iv.  34-36,  xiii.  21)  ;  by  Christ  (Mat.  ix.  25; 
Lu.  vii.  15  ;  Jo.  xi.  -1 1 ;  Ac.  ix.  40,  xx.  12). 

III.  Illustrations,  Otc. — The  Hebrews  regarded  life  as  a  journey ; 
and  that  when,  at  D.,  the  traveller  arrived  at  end  of  journey,  ho  was  re- 
ceived into  presence  of  ancestors.  Reception  into  presence  of  God  asserted 
in  only  two  passages  (Hag.  ii.  23  ;  Ecc.  xii.  7).  Sometimes  they  regarded 
D.  as  a  friendly  messenger ;  more  frequently  as  a  formidable  enemy. 
Their  fancy  imparted  to  him  a  poetical  existence,  as  a  hunter  armed  with 
dart,  javelin,  net,  snare.  Thus  equipped,  he  commences  his  artifices  against 
man,  takes  captive,  and  slays  (2  S.  xxvi.  6  ;  Ps.  xviii.  5,  6,  cxvi.  3  ;  1  Cor. 
xv.  55,  5(3,i.     (See  J.  B.  A.,  cap.  xiii.,  sec.  203.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— d.  ill.  state  by  nature 
(2  Cor.  v.  14  ;  Ep.  ii.  1,  5) ;  affliction  (Ps.  lxxxviii.  5,  6,  cxliii.  3  ;  Is.  lix. 
10) ;  freedom  fr.  sin  (Ro.  vi.  2,  viii.  11 ;  Col.  iii.  3),  fr.  law  (Ro.  vii.  4) ; 
faith  without  works  (I  Tim.  v.  6  ;  Jas.  ii.  17,  26).  n.,  the  only  event  in 
this  world  of  which  every  man  is  sure.  All  should  prepare.  Believer  in 
Jesus  the  only  truly  prepared  (Ph.  i.  21)  ;  confirmed  by  sayings  of  good 
i:i  death :  "  I  bless  God  I  have  inward  supports  "  (M.  Henry).  "  I  know- 
that  it  will  be  well  "  (Flavcl).  "  I  expect  my  salvation  "  [Howe).  "  God 
is  the  Lord  by  whom  we  escape  d."  (Luther).  "  Live  in  Christ,  and  tho 
flesh  need  not  fear  death  "  (Knox).  "  Thou,  Lord,  bruisest  me  ;  but  I  am 
abundantly  satisfied,  since  it  is  fr.  Thy  hand  "  (Calvin).  "  The  best  of  all 
is,  God  is  with  us"  (/.  Wesley).  "  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  Thy  likeness  " 
(C.  Wesley).  "I  have  peace'''  (Baxter).  "The  battle's  fought,  and  tho 
victory  is  won  for  ever  "  (Payson).  "  Oh,  for  arms  to  embrace  him !  Oh, 
for  a  well-timed  harp !"  (Rutherford).  "Ah!  is  this  dying?  How  have 
I  dreaded  as  an  enemy  this  smiling  friend!"  (Goodwin).  "Oh,  brother 
Payne,  the  long-looked-for  day  is  come  at  last,  in  wh.  I  shall  see  that 
glory  in  another  manner  than  I  have  ever  yet  done,  or  been  capable  of 
doing  "  (Owen).  "  1  have  passed  a  conflict  with  my  last  enemy,  but  have 
overcome  him  by  the  merits  of  my  Master— Jesus"  (G.  Herbert,  to  his 
wife).  "God  is*  love!  love!  love!"  (./.  Fletcher).  "More  praise  still: 
oh,  help  me  to  praise.  Him  !  I  have  nothing  else  to  do ;  I  have  done  with 
prayer  and  other  ordinances"  (Jaueway). 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  .Shunning  thoughts  of  dying,  a  sign  of 
unpreparedness.  2.  Holiness  the  best  way  through  d.  into  eternity. 
3.  Christ  the  living  way  through  D.  4.  d.  is  tho  striking  off  of  fetters 
that  hind  us  to  the  world,  and  sin,  and  sorrow.  5.  If  in  your  case  Chi  i  t 
does  not  conquer  d.,  r>.  will  conquer  you.  6.  Saving  faith  transforms  the 
king  of  terrors  into  an  angel  of  light,  and  regards  him  as  a  father's 
messenger  sent  to  fetch  his  child  home. 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


Embalming.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Domestic 


Egyptian  Mummy. 


I.  Scientific.— E.  is  the  method  by  wh.  a  dead  body  is  kept  fr. 
putrefaction  and  decay.  The  Heb.  chdnat  =  E.,  sig.  "  to  be  red," 
"  to  preserve  with  spices."  The  Syriac  chunetto  =  p'y/xa,  the  con- 
fection of  myrrh 
and  aloes  (Jo.  xix. 
39.  See  S.  B.  D.) 
Methods.  Three 
methods:  1.  Cost 
£250  =  talent  of 
silver.  Brain  ex- 
tracted through  nos- 
trils; -what  was  left 
destroyed  by  drugs. 
Incision  5  in.  long 
made  in  left  side;  in- 
testines extracted  ; 
cavity    rinsed    with 

palm  wine,  and  sprinkled  with  powdered  perfumes.  Body  filled 
with  myrrh,  cassia,  etc.  ;  sewed  up  ;  steeped  70  dys.  in  natron,  *.  e., 
native  carbonate  of  soda,  or  mineral  alkali  (com.  in  Egypt).  Then 
washed  and  swathed  in  gummed  bandages.  Thus  the  features,  hair, 
etc.,  were  preserved.  2.  Cost  20  minee=  £$\.  Bowels  not  re- 
moved, but  oil  of  cedar  injected  by  syringes,  steeped  in  natron  70 
days.  When  the  oil  was  drawn  off,  the  intestines,  being  dissolved, 
came  out.  The  flesh  being  consumed  by  natron,  only  skin  and 
bones  remained.  Enveloped  in  bandages  as  before.  3.  Least  ex- 
pensive. Abdomen  rinsed  with  syrinsea  (a  purgative  liquid,  made 
prob.  of  senna  and  cassia),  then  steeped  and  bound  as  before  (Kalisch 
on  Gen.,  768,  769).  The  embalmed  body  called  a  mummy  [fr.  low 
Lat.  mumia — Ar.  mum,  wax,  prob.  all.  to  gummed  or  waxed  swath- 
ings.]     Several  of  them  in  British  and  other  museums. 

II.  Historical.— Art  invented  by  Egyptians,  2000  yrs.  B.C.  ; 
prob.  derived  origin  fr.  idea  that  preservation  of  body  was  needful 
for  return  of  soul  to  human  form  after  completing  its  cycle  of  exist- 
ence of  3,000  or  10,000  yrs.  Physical  and  sanitary  reasons  may  also 
have  led  to  it.  The  legend  of  Osiris,  whose  body,  destroyed  by 
•Typhon,  was  found  by  Isis,  and  embalmed  by  his  son  Anubis,  gave  a 
religious  sanction  to  the  rite,  all  deceased  persons  being  supposed  to 
be  E.  after  the  model  of  Osiris  in  the  Abuton  of  Philce.  Many  nations 
adopted  E.  Persians  used  wax  ;  Assyrians,  honey.  Alexander  the 
Gt.  was  E.  in  wax  and  honey.  Roman  bodies  also.  After  £00  A.D. 
it,  fell  into  disuse  as  general  practice.  Yet  there  have  been  cases,  as 
Napoleon  I.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  Jews  practised  the  syste- 
matic E.  of  the  Egyptians.  Still  some  process  was  employed  tending 
to  soothe  surviving  friends  by  arresting  or  delaying  natural  cor- 
ruption. In  some  cases,  too,  the  later  Jews  E.  a  body  in  honey,  after 
having  covered  it  with  wax.    (J.  Ant.,  xiv.  7,  4.) 


T0riC3    FOR    TEACHERS.  33 

Life.]  MANSERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Embalming. 

III.  Bible  References.— (Ge.  1.  2,  26).  Jacob  was  e.  prob.  that 
ho  might  be  the  better  removed  to  Canaan  ace.  to  his  wish  (Go.  xlix. 
27-31).  Asa  was  prob.  e.  (2  Ch.  xvi.  14),  and  the  body  of  Jesus  buried 
with  spices,  etc.  (Mk.  xvi.  1  ;  Lu.  xxiii.  56  ;  Jo.  xix.  39,  40).  The  ace. 
given  by  Herodotus  has  been  supposed  to  throw  discredit  upon  the  narra- 
tive in  Genesis.  He  asserts  that  the  body  is  steeped  in  natron  for  70  dys., 
while  in  Ge.  1.  3,  it  is  said  that  only  40  dys.  were  occupied  in  the  whole 
process  of  embalming,  although  the  period  of  mourning  extended  over  70 
dys.  But  Diodorus  omits  the  steeping  altogether.  "  If  the  400  yrs.  betw. 
the  two  Gk.  historians  were  sufficient  to  have  caused  such  changes  in  the 
mode  of  e.  as  are  indicated  by  their  dif.  descriptions  of  the  process,  it  in 
not  unreasonable  to  conclude  that  the  still  greater  interval  by  wh.  the 
celebration  of  the  funeral  obsequies  of  the  patriarch  preceded  the  age  of 
the  father  of  hist,  might  have  produced  changes  still  greater,  both  in  kind 
and  in  degree."     (S.  B.  D.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — 1.  Heathens  often 
more  anxious  about  the  body,  than  many,  who  call  themselves  Christians, 
are  about  the  soul. 

"  "Why  should  this  worthless  tegument  endure, 
If  its  undying  guest  bs  lost  for  ever  ? 
Oh,  let  us  keep  the  soul  embalmed,  and  pure 
In  living  virtue,  that,  when  both  may  sever, 
Although  corruption  may  our  frame  consume, 
The  immortal  spirit  in  the  skies  may  bloom." 

(Horace  Smith.) 

2.  Even  the  body,  preserved  thus  by  human  skill,  lasts  thousands  of  years ; 
how  much  more  the  soul,  spiritual  and  immortal,  and  kept  by  the  power  of 
God.  3.  It  need  not  greatly  concern  us  to  take  care  of  the  body,  for 
though  it  be  true  that 

"  Imperial  Cassar,  dead,  and  turned  to  clay, 
May  stop  a  hole  to  keep  the  wind  away,"   (Shak&peare.) 

it  is  declared  that  the  dead  shall  rise,  both  small  and  great.  Of  this  body, 
so  carefully  preserved,  there  shall  be  no  need.  The  new  body  shall  bo 
fashioned  like  unto  His  glorious  body.  3.  "  Gums  and  antiseptics  "  can 
only  preserve  the  body;  other  preservatives  needed  for  the  soul.  4.  Better 
commit  the  body  also  to  God's  faithful  keeping,  than  to  the  embalmer's 

Bkill. 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  How  much  men  spent  in  the  old  time  over 
the  dead  body ;  and  how  often  they  complain  now  of  the  cost  of  religious 
ordinances  \>y  wh.  (D.V.)  the  living  soul  may  be  "  embalmed  and  treasured 
up  to  a  life  beyond  life."  2.  Many  who  thus  cared  for  the  dead,  neglected 
their  duty  to  the  living.  We  cannot  by  any  thought,  or  cost,  or  caio 
about  funerals,  etc.,  make  up  lor  present  neglect  of  relations,  teachers,  etc. 
Let  us  take  heed  to  this. 


34  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Burial.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.'  [Domestic 

I.  Historic. — The  general  tendency  of  mankind  to  bury  des 

of  sight  [Bury,  fr.  A.-S.  birgan,  to  conceal ;  Ger.  bergen].  To  accom- 
plish this,  three  great  methods  :  1.  Closing  up  body  in  earth  or  stone. 
2.  Burning  of  body,  and  entombing  of  cinders.  3.  Embalming  (for 
Embalming,  see  p. '32).  Incremation  (burning)  practised  in  Greece 
and  Home.  Cinerary  urns  have  been  found  in  many  parts.  "  Some 
of  the  grandest  buildings  in  the  world  have  been  tombs ;  such  are 
the  pyramids,  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo,  the  tomb  of  Ccecilia  Metella, 
and  many  temples  scattered  over  Hindustan  and  other  E.  countries. 
Upon  (epi)  the  mound  (taphos)  beneath  \vh.  the  ashes  of  .a  Greek  were 
placed,  it  was  customary  for  the  public  orator  to  pronounce  a  pane- 
gyric, the  pith  of  wh.  was  afterwards  inscribed  on  the  spot,  hence 
the  origin  of  epitaph.  The  Gks.  had  their  burial-places  at  a  dist. 
fr.  towns  ;  the  Roras.  nr.  highways,  hence  necessity  for  inscription 
on  tombs*  First  Christian  burial-place  in  A.D.  596;  in  cities,  742; 
in  consecrated  places,  750;  in  churchyards,  758.  Early  Christians 
in  catacombs  at  Rome.  [Cemetery,  a  sleeping-place;  fr.  Gk.  koimo, 
to  lull  to  sleep.] 

II.  Bible  References.— Prob.  origin  (Ge.  iv.  9,  10;  purpose 
(xxiii.  3,  4).  Attended  by  fam.  of  dead  (1.  5,  6,  8  ;  Mat.  viii.  21) ; 
friends  (Ge.  1.  7,  9  ) ;  2  S.  iii.  31 ;  Mk.  xv.  47  ;  Lu.  vii.  12,  13) ;  hired 
mourners  (Jer.  ix.  17,  18).  Lamentations  at  (Ge.  1.  10,  11  ;  2  S.  iii. 
31,  32).  Orations  at  (2  S.  iii.  33,  34).  Body  :  eyes  closed  by  child 
or  nr.  relative  (Gen.  xlvi.  4) ;  washed  (Ac.  ix.  37) ;  anointed  (Mat. 
xxvi.  12)  ;  wound  in  linen  (Jo.  xi.  44,  xix.  40)  ;  with  spices  (xix. 
39,  40);  sometimes  burned  (1  S.  xxxi  12);  carried  on  bier  (2  S. 
iii.  31 ;  Lu.  vii.  14);  perfumes  burned  at  (2  Ch.  xvi.  14;  Jer.  xxxiv.  5); 
antiquity  of  coffins  (Ge.  1.  26);  took  place  directly  aft.  death  (Jo.  xi. 
17,  cf.  39  ;  Ac.  v.  6,  10) ;  if  embalmed,  in  70  dys.  aft.  (Ge.  1.  3,  4)  ; 
of  persons  hanged,  on  day  of  execution  (Deu.  xxi.  23;  Jo.  xix.  31) ; 
right  of  all  (Jud.  xvi.  31  ;  Jo.  xix.  38)  :  of  enemies,  by  conquerors 
(1  K.  xi.  15  ;  Ez.  xxxix.  11-14)  ;  of  friendless,  a  kind  act  (2  S.  ii.  5). 
Places  ;  caves  (Ge.  xxiii.  19 ;  Jo.  xi.  38)  hewn  in  rocks  (Is.  xxii.  16 ; 
Mat.  xxvii.  60)  ;  gardens  (2  K.  xxi.  18,  26;  Jo.  xix.  41) ;  under  trees 
(Ge.  xxxv.  8;  1  S.  xxxi.  13);  tops  of  hills  (Jos.  xxiv.  33;  2  K. 
xxiii.  16)  ;  houses  of  (1  S.  xxv.  1  ;  1  K.  ii.  34)  ;  citv  of  David  for 
kings  of  Judah  (1  K.  ii.  10;  2  Ch.  xxi.  20,  xxiv.  16);  were  often 
selected  during  life  (Ge.  1.  5  ;  2  Ch.  xvi.  14  ;  Mat.  xxvi.  60)  ;  for 
members  of  a  fam.  (Ge.  xxv.  10 ;  xlix.  31  ;  2  S.  ii.  32)  ;  venerated 
(Neh.  ii.  3,  5) ;  for  poor  (Jer.  xxvi.  23)  ;  for  aliens  (Mat.  xxvii.  7) ; 
visited  by  friends  (Jo.  xi.  31);  pillars  erected  (Ge.  xxxv.  20) ;  tombs 
(Mat.  xxiii.  27-29)  ;  inscriptions  (2  It.  xxiii.  17)  ;  sometimes  not 
seen  (Lu.  xi.  44) ;  for  criminals  marked  by  heaps  (Jos.  vii.  26) ;  cere- 
monially unclean  (Nu.  xix.  16,  18)  ;  desecrated  by  idolatry  (Is.  lxy. 
3,  4)  ;  Jews  anxious  to  be  interred  in  fam.  grave  (Ge.  xfvii.  29-31, 
xlix.  29,  30,  1.  25,  2  S.  xix.  37);  followed  by  feast  (2  S.  iii.  35; 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  35 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Burial. 

Jcr.  xvi.  7,  8;  Hos.  ix.  -1)  ;  privation  of,  a  calamity  (Ecc.  vi.  'S) ;  a 
punishment  (2  K.  ix.  10;  Jer.  viii.  2,  xvi.  5)  ;  ignominious  com.  to 
buriil  of  an  ass  (Jcr.  xxii.  19). 

II  r.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  The  earth  a  vast 
sepulchre. 

"  The  hills 

Rock-ribbed  and  ancient  as  the  sun, — the  vales 

Stretching  in  pensive  quietness  between  ; 

The  venerable  woods— rivers  that  move 

In  majesty,  and  the  complaining  brooks 

That  make  the  meadows  green  ;  and,  poured  round  all, 

Old  ocean's  gray  and  melancholy  waste, — 

Are  but  the  solemn  decorations  all 

Of  the  great  tomb  of  man."  (Bryant.) 

2.  The  tomb  is  to  the  Christian  a  sleeping-place  ;  and  death,  a  sleep. 

"  To  them  it  ceased  to  be  a  place  of  death; 
It  was  the  porch  within  whose  solemn  glooms 
They  stood  till  the  temple  open'd  ;  the  sweet  breath 
Of  heaven  here  soothed  their  hearts  ;  the  lovely  blooms 
Of  that  fair  land  refresh' d  their  drooping  eyes  ; 
And  glimpses  came  to  them  from  other  sides."  (fixnis.) 

3.  Tombs  of  all  sizes  and  descriptions  for  all  ages  and  stations— young 
and  old,  rich  and  poor.  I  saw  a  little  child  in  a  village  churchyard 
measuring  with  his  own  body  some  of  the  tiny  graves.  "  A  good  many," 
he  said,  "  had  died  younger  than  himself." 

"  Yet  while  thinking,  oh !  our  lost  ones, 
Of  how  dear  ye  were  to  us, 
"Why  should  dreams  of  doubt  and  darkness 
Haunt  our  troubled  spirits  thus  ? 
Why  across  the  cold,  dim  churchj-ard 
Flit  our  visions  of  despair  ? 
Seated  on  the  tomb,  Faith's  angel 
Says,  "  Ye  are  not  there  !  " 
Where,  then,  are  ye  ?     With  the  Saviour, 
Blest,  for  ever  blest,  are  ye, 
'Mid  the  sinless  little  children 
Who  have  heard  His  '  Come  to  me  ! ' 
'Yond  the  shades  of  death's  dark  valley 
Now  ye  lean  upon  His  breast, 
Where  the  wicked  dare  not  enter, 
And  the  weary  are  at  rest."  (Moir.) 

4.  Hypocrites,  whited  sepulchres.  5.  III.  regeneration  (Ro.  vi.  4;  Col. 
ii.  12). 

IV.  Practical   Hints. — 1.    Trust  in  Jesus,  who  has  robbed  the 
grave  of  its  power;  and  made  the  dying  bed  "soft  as  downy  couches 
are."     2.  Rejoice  in  the  hope  of  a  resurrection  to  eternal  life. 
u  Then  when  our  friends  th  a  grave  devours, 
When  all  the  world  around  us  lowers, 

We'll  look  from  earth  to  heaven."     (Fierpont.) 


36  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Husbandry.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Industrial 

I.  Bible  References. — Tilling  of  earth  (Ge.  iii.  23)  ancient  em- 
ployment (ii.  15);  made  more  laborious  by  sin  (iii.  17-19);  for 
universal  support  (Ecc.  v.  9);  result  fr.  God*  (Jer.  v.  24;  Hos.  ii.  8). 
Needs  wisdom  (Is.  xxviii.  2G)  ;  dilfjence  (Pr.  xxvii.  23-27  ;  Ecc. 
xi.  6),  wh.  is  rewarded  (Pr.  xii.  11,  xiii.  23,  xxviii.  19;  Heb.  vi.  7)  ; 
toil  (2  Tim.  ii.  6) ;  patience  (Jas.  v.  7).  Persons  called  tillers  (Ge. 
iv.  2)  [lit.,  "to  work  for  an  end"  A.-S.,  tilian — til,  an  end];  hus- 
bandmen (2  Ch.  xxvi.  10)  [husband  =  the  band  that  binds  the  house 
together.  Formerly  the  house  was  chiefly  supported  by  toil  in  the 
field,  hence  the  husbandman  (man  who  was  a  husband)  was  usually 
a  farmer.  The  noun  "husband"  became  a  verb,  since  the  man  who 
looked  aft.  his  house  had  to  husband  his  resources];  labourers  (Mat. 
ix  37,  xx.  1).  Promoted  by  family  allotments  (Nu.  xxxvi.  7-9) ; 
right  of  redemption  (Lev.  xxv.  23-28);  separation  Jr.  other  nations 
(Ex.  xxxiii.  16);  usury  prohibited  (xxii.  25) ;  blessing  promised  (Lev. 
xxvi.  4;  l)eu.  vii.  13,  xi.  14,  15).  Protective  laws:  Coveting 
fields  of  others  (Deu.  v.  21);  landmarks  (xix.  14;  Pr.  xxii.  28); 
crops  of  others  (Deu.  xxiii.  25);  trespass  (Ex.  xx.  5);  injuring  produce 
(xxii.  26).  Operations  :  hedging  (Is.  v.  2,  5;  "Hos.  ii.  6) ;  ploughing 
(Job  i.  14);  digging  (Is.  v.  6;  Lu.  xiii.  8,  xvi.  3);  manuring  (Is. 
xxv.  10  ;  Lu.  xiv.  34,  35) ;  harrowing  (Job  xxxix.  10  ;  Is.  xxviii.  24)  ; 
collecting  stones  (Is.  v.  2)  ;  solving  (Ecc.  xi.  4;  Is.  xxxii.  20  ;  Mat. 
xiii.  3)  ;  planting  (Pr.  xxxi.  16  ;  Is.  xliv.  14  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  5)  ;  watering 
(Deu.  xi.  10 ;  1  Cor.  iii.  6-8) ;  xveeding  (Mat.  xiii.  28) ;  grafting  (Ro. 
xi.  17-19,  24)  ;  pruning  (Lev.  xxv.  3;  Is.  v.  6  ;  Jo.  xv.  2) ;  mowing 
(Ps.  cxxix.  7;  Am.  vii.  1);  reaping  (Is.  xvii.  5) ;  binding  (Ge.  xxxvii. 
7;  Mat.  xiii.  20);  gleaning  (Lev.  xix.  9;  Ku.  ii.  3);  stacking  (Ex. 
xxii.  6);  threshing  (Deu.  xxv.  4;  Jud.  vi.  11);  winnowing  (Ku.  iii. 
2;  Mat.  iii.  12);  storing  (Mat.  vi.  26,  xiii.  30).  IMPLEMENTS: 
plough  (1  S.  xiii.  20);  harrow  (2  S.  xii.  31);  mattock  (1  S.  xiii.  20; 
Is.  vii.  25);  sickle  (Deu.  xvi.  9,  xxiii.  25)  ;  pruning -hook  (Is.  xviii. 
5;  Joel  iii.  10);  Jbrk  (1  S.  xiii.  21);  axe  (20);  teethed  threshing 
■instruments  (Is.  xii.  15)  ;  flail  (xxviii.  27  ;  see  Louth)  ;  cart  (1  S.  vi. 
7;  Is.  xxviii.  27,  28  ;  see  cut,  p.  230)  ;  shovel  (xxx.  24) ;  sieve  (Am. 
ix.  9):  fan  (Is.  xxx.  24;  Mat.  iii.  12).  Leasts  used  :  ox  (Deu. 
xxv.  4);  ass  (xxii.  10);  horse  (Is.  xxviii.  -28).  Historic:  peace 
favoured  (Is.  ii.  4 ;  Jer.  xxxi.  24) ;  war  not  (1.  16,  li.  2;3) ;  patriarchs 
pursued  (Ge.  iv.  2,  ix.  20) ;  toil  sup.  to  be  lessened  bv  Noah  (v.  29, 
cf.  ix.  20) ;  Jews  loved  (Jud.  vi.  1 1  ;  1  K.  xix.  19  ;  2  Ch.  xxvi.  10) ; 
Canaan  fitted  for  by  soil  (Ge.  xiii.  10 ;  Deu.  viii.  7-9),  and  climate 
(Deu.  xi.  10,  11);  hirelings  employed  (1  Ch.  xxvii.  26,  xxvi.  10; 
Mat.  x.  8  ;  Lu.  xvii.  7)  ;  abandoned  in  Sabbatical  year  (Ex.  xxiii. 
10,  11).  Produce  as  rent  (Mat.  xxi.  33,  34) ;  blasted  because  of  sin 
(Is.  v.  10,  vii.  23;  Jer.  xii.  13;  Joel  i.  10,  11);  failure  of,  caused 
grief  (i.  11 ;  Am.  v.  16,  17);  exported  (1  Iv.  v.  11  ;  Ez.  xxvii.  17). 

II.  Illustrations.— Ge.  xii.  47  :  "  This  I  witnessed.    I  plucked  up, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


87 


Life/ 


MANSERS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Husbandry. 


Counted  the  number  of 


THRESHING-FLOOR. 


at  random,  a  few  stalks  out  of  thick  corn-fields, 
stalks    l'r.    single 
grains   of    seed.  . 

..  The  first  had  /  i' . .  *  \'^  ...V^» 
7  stalks ;  next 
next  9;  then  18, 
then  14  ;  ea.  stalk 
would  bear  an 
ear."  (Jowett's 
Researches,  167). 
Deo.  xxii.  4 : 
"They  (the  Tar- 
tars) fix  a  pole 
into  the  earth, 
placing  the  corn 

in  a  circle  round  it,  about  8  or  9  yds.  in  diameter;  they  then  attach 
a  horse  by  a  long  cord  to  the  pole,  and  coutinue  driving  him  round  and 
round  upon  the  corn."  (Clarke's  Travels,  i.  527.)  "The  straw  was 
spnad  on  the  ground,  and  a  couple  of  oxen  (see  cut),  driven  round  in 
a  circle,  trod  it."  (Turner's  Thibet,  184;  see  also  T.  L.  B.,  538.)  Is.  i.  3 
(for  modes  of  irrigation  see  R.  B.  R ,  i.  542,  ii.  351,  iii.  21).  Hos.  ii.  6  : 
Thorn  hedges  were  cultivated  for  a  defence.  "  The  Indian  fig-tree, 
of  which  the  hedges  are  f<  >rmed,  serves  as  an  insurmountable  barrier 
for  security  of  fields."  (Du  T>tt,  ii.  312).  "We  perceived  it  (Rihhah)  to 
be  a  settlement  of  ab.  50  dwellings,  .  .  .  every  one  fenced  in  front  with 
thorny  bushes,  while  a  barrier  of  same  kind  encircled  the  whole  town." 
(Buckingham's  Travels,  301.)  Pr.  xx.  4,  see  marg.;  Ecc.  xi.  4:  "This 
hard  necessity  for  winter  work  is  mainly  owing  to  the  wretched  imple- 
ments used.  With  their  frail  ploughs  and  tiny  oxen,  they  must  wait 
until  the  ground  is  saturated  and  softened,  however  late  in  the  season 
that  may  be.    (T.  L.  B.,  143-4.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— /#.  1.  The  culture 
of  the  Church  (1  Cor.  iii.  9).  2.  Culture  of  the  heart  (Jer.  iv.  3;  Hos. 
x.  12).  Fallow  =  pale  yellow;  left  with  yellowish  earth  exposed,  i.e., 
unfilled  [A.-S.,  jealo;  Ger.,  falb,  fahl ;  allied  Slav.,  plav,  yellow].  We 
must  not  suffer  the  heart  to  be  uncultivated:  the  longer  we  do  so,  the 
harder  to  break  up.  If  we  do  the  tilling,  God  will  rain  righteousness. 
After  all  our  toil,  only  God  can  give  the  increase  (1  Cor.  iii.  6).  Never- 
theless, we  must  work  and  pray  for  ourselves  and  others.  In  husbandry, 
the  labourer  looks  for  results ;  we  are  "  God's  husbandry ;  "  Me  looks  for 
fruit  (Is.  v.  1-7,  cf.  Lu.  xiii.  1-9 ;  see  C.  D.  N.  T.,  123). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Seek  Divine  blessing  on  human  labour, 
that  there  may  be  seed  for  the  sower  and  bread  for  the  eater.  2.  Cultivate 
the  heart:  break  it  up  with  thought,  soften  it  with  repentance,  plant  it 
with  truth,  etc.  3.  Look  for  God  s  blessing,  that  it  may  be  as  a  wed- 
watered  garden,  fruitful  in  holy  thoughts,  purpose,  etc.  4.  Labour  for 
good  of  others  in  God's  vineyard.  5.  Be  prompt  and  earnest,  for  the  day 
of  life  will  soon  be  ended,  and  we  shall  lie  down  in  that  place  where  thero 
is  no  wisdom  or  device  or  work. 


S3 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACIIERS. 


Shepherding.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Industrial 


Sti 


I.  Illustrations.— Lu.  ii.  8  :  Almost  all  nomade  tribes  of  E. 
confine  their  flocks  during  the  night  in  pens.  (Lichenstein  Travels, 
i.  439.)     Job  xxx.  1  :  "The  shepherd  walks  before  them,  and  they 

Oryaiigr*— -^    ^^^-riddM&Sti&K  follow  after,  while  the 

•TJ^  &°SS  hring  up  the  rear. 

These  oriental  s.-dogs, 
by  the  way,  are  not  like 
those  of  other  lands — 
fine,  faithful  fellows,  the 
friend  and  companion  of 
their  master,  and  fit  to 
figure  in  poetry.  This 
would  not  suit  Job's 
comparison.  They  are 
a  mean,  sinister,  ill- 
conditioned  generation, 
kept  at  a  distancckiekcd 
about,  and  half-starved, 
with  nothing  noble  or 
attractive  about  them, 
they  lag  lazily  behind  the  flocks,  making  a  furious  barking  at 
any  intruder  among  their  charge,  and  thus  give  warning  of  ap- 
proaching danger."  (T.  L.  B.,  202.)  Jo.  x.  4  :  "  This  is  true  to  the 
letter.  They  are  so  tame  and  so  trained  that  they  follow  their  keeper 
with  the  utmost  docility.  ...  It  is  necessary  that  they  should  be 
taught  to  follow,  and  not  to  stray  away  into 'the  unfenced  fields  of 
corn  wh.  lie  so  temptingly  on  either  side.  Any  one  that  thus  wanders 
is  sure  to  get  into  trouble.  The  shepherd  calls  sharply  fr.  time  to 
time,  to  remind  them  of  his  presence.  They  know  his  voice,  and 
follow  on;  but  if  a  stranger  call,  they  stop  short,  lift  up  their  heads 
in  alarm,  and  if  it  is  repeated  they  turn  and  flee,  because  they  know 
not  the  voice  of  a  stranger.  This  is  not  the  fanciful  costume  of  a 
parable — it  is  a  simple  fact.  I  have  made  the  experiment  repeatedly." 
(Ibid.,  2;>3.)  Ge.  xxxiii.  13  :  "  This,  by  the  way,  proves  that  Jacob's 
flight  was  late  in  autumn,  when  alone  the  flocks  are  in  this  condi- 
tion." (Ibid.,  205.)  Mic  vii.  14:  "The  word  (rod)  signifies  both  to 
feed  and  to  rule,  and  both  ideas  arc  natural.  The  shepherd  invariably 
carries  a  staff  or  rod  with  him  when  he  goes  forth  to  feed  his  flock. 
It  is  often  bent,  or  hooked,  at  one  end,  wh.  gave  rise  to  the  shepherd's 
crook  in  the  hand  of  the  Christian  bishop.  With  this  staff  he  rules 
and  guides  the  flock  to  their  green  pastures,  and  defends  them  fr. 
their  enemies.  "With  this  also  he  corrects  the  disobedient,  and  brings 
them  back  when  wandering."  (Ibid.,  205;  see  also  p.  331;  and 
R.  B.  JR.,  iii.  6.) 

II.    Bible  References. —  Fhrpherds  mentioned  early    (Ge.  iv    2). 
Usually  carried  scrip,  or  bag  (1  S.  xvii.  40),  and  a  staff  (Lev.  xxvii.  32; 


Torres  for  TEArnr.r.s. 


Life.]  MANNBRS  AND  CUSTt  [Shepherding. 

1  s.  xxiii.  4;  Zech.  xi.  15).     Dwelt  in  tents  (Song  i.   8;  Is.  xxxviii.   12).' 
Included  male  and  female  members  of  fam.   (Ge.  xxix.  6;  1  S.  xvi.  II, 
Lp);  bin  '1  keepers  under  them  (xvii.  20,  cf.  Jo.  x.  12).     Showed  are 
of  sheep  in  knowing    [Jo.  x.   14);   leading   (1's.  lxxvii.  20,  Ixxviii.  52, 
I);    selecting  pasture  (1   Ch.  iv.  39-42;  Ps.  xxiii.  2);  numbering 
(Jer.  xxx.   13);    watching  by  night  (Lu.  ii.  8);  tenderness  to  ewes  and 
.  xxxiii.  13,  14;  Ps.  lxxxviii.  71);  defending  (1  S.  xvii.  34-3(3 ; 
j  the  lost  (Ez.  xxxiv.  12  ;  Lu.  xv.  4,  5);  caring  for 
'.',.'..  xxxiv.  16).     s.  an  abomination  to  Egyptians.     Various  reasons 
of  cruelties  perpetrated  by  nomad  Cushites,  called 
"shepherd-kings,"  who  came  fr.  Arabia,  overran  the  whole  country,  and 
aft.  withdrew  to  Palestine,  where  they  became  the  Philistines.     (2)  Be- 
cause the  Egyptians,  being  worshippers  of  animals,  were  naturally  averse 
t<i  persons  who  fed  on  animals  considered  sacred.     (3)  And  prob.  (aec.  to 
Heeren)  beca  ise  fch  i  rearing  of  cattle  was  associated  with  habits  and  pur- 
suits wh.  rendered  them  equally  hated  and  feared  by  a  settled  and  refined 
people  like  the  Egyptians.    (See  B.,  in  loc.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—//^  1.  Christ  the 
Good  Shepherd :  see  foil,  hymns — "My  Shepherd  will  supply  my  need " 
[Watts).  "The  Lord  my  Shepherd  is"  {Watts  or  Conder).  "The  Lord 
my  pasture  shall  prepare  "  {Addison).  "Join  all  the  glorious  names" 
(Watts).  "Father  of  boundless  grace"  {C.  Wesley).  Called  Shepherd, 
because  a  shepherd  (1)  is  chosen  and  appointed;  so  Christ.  (2)  Knows 
his  sheep  ;  "  I  know  my  sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine."  (3)  Marks  his 
sheep;    Christ  also  (Rev.  vii.   3,  4;    Ez.  ix.   4),   for  distinction,  secrecy, 

ity.  (4)  Ed  ils  his  sheep;  so  Christ  (Is.  xl.  11,  xlix.  10;  Ps.  xxiii. 
1,  2  ;  Pr.  viii.  6  ;  Jo.  x.  3).  (5)  Folds  his  sheep;  so  Christ  in  the  Church 
(Ac.  ii.  47;  Eph.  iii.  21).  (6)  Keeps  them  together;  so  Christ  (Heb. 
x.  25).  (7)  Treats  them  tenderly;  so  Christ  (Is.  xxxv.  3,  xl.  11).  (S)  Seeks 
the  lost;  bo  Christ  (Lu.  xv.  1-3).  (9)  Attends  the  sick;  so  Christ  (Ez. 
xxxiv.  16.     (10)  Watches  over  them;  so  Christ  (Is.  xxvii.  3).     (11)  Will 

ir  his  sheep;  so  Christ  (Jo.  xvii.  12).  (12)  Washes  his  sheep;  so 
Christ  (Rev.  i.  5;  1  Jo.  i.  9).  (13)  Divides  sheep  fr.  goats;  so  Christ 
(Mat.  xxv.   32).     2.    God  as  leader  of   Israel  (Ps.  lxxvii.  20,  lxxx.    1). 

3.  Kings  as  leaders  of  the  people    (Is.   xliv.    28;    Jer.   vi.   3,  xlix.   19). 

4.  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  (Jer.  xxiii.  4).     5.  When  ignorant,  etc.,  of  had 
ministers  (Is.  lvi.  11;  Jer.  1.  6;  Ez.  xxxiv.  2,  10;  Zee.  xi.  7,  8,  15-17). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Do  what  you  can  to  bring  the  lambs  to 
od  Shepherd :  "  See  Israel's  gentle  Shepherd  stands,"  etc.     2.  Are 

you  in  the  fold  of  Jesus?  3.  If  not,  where  will  you  be  in  the  great  day 
of  separation  ?  4.  Hear,  and  obey  the  Good  Shepherd's  voice,  and  follow 
Him.  5.  They  must  be  safe  whom  He  keeps  who  never  slumbers.  6.  He 
knows  His  sheep — their  wants,  weaknesses,  sorrows,  sins,  circumstances,  etc. 
[Addenda. — s.  were  exported  fr.  England,  and  the  breed,  being  thereby 
improved,  produced  the  fine  Spanish  wool.  wh.  injured  our  \i 
manufacture  (1467).  Their  exportation  prohibited  on  pain  of  fine  and 
nt  (1.522).  Number  of  s.  in  United  Kingdom  fr.  50,000.000 
to  00,000,000  in  1S40;  must  now  be  more,  fr.  unrestricted  importation 
Bince  1846.     Ab.  200,000  s.  and  lambs  imported  in  1858.] 


40  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Hunting.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Industrial 

I.  Historical. — Objects  of  H.  a  key  to  state  of  civilization,  n. 
may  be— 1.  A  matter  of  necessity ;  (a)  for  destruction  of*  beasts  of 
prey;  (b)  for  sustenance,  by  capture  of  game.  2.  An  amusement. 
In  tbe  E.,  fr.  the  earliest  times,  men  H.  with  both  these  objects.  The 
chase  of  wild  ans.  must  necessarily  have  been  one  of  man's  earliest 
occupations.  A  "mighty  hunter"  at  that  time  must  have  been  a 
public  benefactor,  and  fr.  the  influence  thus  acquired,  have  become 
founders  of  states,  as  Theseus  and  Nimrod  (Ge.  x.  9).  The  ori- 
ginal term  for  hunting  occurs  elsewhere,  in  ref.  to  violent  invasion 
of  human  rights  (1  S.  xxiv.  12;  Lam.  iii.  15;  Jer.  xvi.  16).  This 
usage  affords  clue  to  Nimrod's  character.  With  the  band  of  lawless 
spirits  his  skill  had  attracted,  he  proceeded  fr.  hunting  beasts  to 
oppressing  man : — 

"  Proud  "Nimrod  first  the  bloody  chase  began, 
A  mighty  hunter — and  his  prey  was  man."    {Pope.) 

(B.,  in  he.)  Hunting  was  first  a  business,  and  then  a  sport,  being 
pui-sued  not  so  much  for  the  food,  as  for  the  recreation  and  health  it 
yielded.  (K.  B.  C)  The  Hebrews — pastoi-al  and  agricultural — not 
given  to  field  sports.  Their  number,  character,  rites — esp.  as  to  food 
— discouraged  hunting  beyond  limits  of  necessity.  Prob.  the  ex- 
amples of  Ishmael  (Ge.  xxi.  20)  and  Esau  (xxv.  27)  had  some  effect. 
No  lack  of  game  in  Palestine :  wild  beasts  at  the  first  numerous  and 
dangerous  (Ex.  xxiii.  29) ;  their  extermination  prevented  by  law 
(Ex.  xxiii.  11;  Lev.  xxv.  7).  Hence  some  survived  to  a  late  period: 
lions  (Jud.  xiv.  5 ;  1  S.  xvii.  34;  2  S.  xxiii.  20 ;  1  K.  xiii.  24, 
xx.  36);  bears  (1  S.  xvii.  34;  2  K.  ii.  24);  jackals  (Jud.  xv.  4); 
foxes  (Song  ii.  15).  The  hart,  roebuck,  fallow  deer  (Deu.  xii.  15; 
2  K.  iv.  23)  supplied  food,  and  were  prob.  preserved  in  enclosures. 
Herod,  a  skilful  hunter,  had  a  hunting  stud  {J.  Aid.,  xv.  7,  7,  xvi. 
10,  3),  and  is  said  (J.  Wars,  i.  21,  13)  to  have  killed  40  head  of  game 
— stags,  wild  asses,  and  bears — in  one  day.  The  rich  in  Egypt  and 
Assyria  had  preserves  for  hunting  purposes.  (  Wilkinson's  Anc.  Egyp- 
tians, i.  215 ;  K.  P.  H.  P.,  ii.,  ccclx.)  The  walls  of  their  houses, 
and  state  robes,  often  adorned  with  hunting  scenes. 

II.  Method.— Animals.  Three  chief  modes— 1.  Pitfall,  for  larger 
ans.,  as  lion  (2  S.  xxiii.  20).  2.  Trap,  put  under  ground  (Job  xviii. 
10),  in  the  run  of  the  an.  (Pr.  xxii.  5),  wh.  was  caught  by  leg  (Job 
xviii.  9).  3.  Net,  of  wh.  various  kinds,  as  for  gazelle  (?)  (Is.  Ii.  20; 
A.  v.,  "  wild  bull"),  etc.  The  net  was  placed  at  end  of  valley,  and 
ans.  driven  into  it,  and  killed  with  arrows  or  spears,  the  game  selected 
being  fitted  for  food  (Pr.  xii.  27),  and  care  being  taken  to  comply 
with  the  law  (Lev.  xvii.  13).  Birds,  an  article  of  food  (Lev.  xvii. 
13);  required,  for  catching  them,  much  skill.  4.  Plans  adopted: 
(1)  Trap,  the  usual  method  (Job  xviii.  9;  Ecc  ix.  12;  Pr.  vii.  28): 
made  of  two  parts— a  net  stretched  over  a  frame,  a  stick  supporting 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACIIERS.  41 

Life.]  MANSERS  ASD  CUSTOMS.  [Hunting. 

it,  so  placed  as  to  give  way  with  the  least  touch  (Am.  iii.  5,  "  gin ;" 
Ps.  lxix.  22,  "trap").  2.  Snare,  fr.  Heb.  word  =  to  braid  (Job 
xviii.  9 ;  A.  v.,  "  robber  "),  was  a  cord  (Job  xviii.  10,  cf.  Ps.  xviii.  5, 
cxvi.  3,  cxl.  5),  so  placed  as  to  catch  a  bird  by  the  leg.  3.  Net, 
prob.  like  the  Egyptian  mode,  consisting  of  two  frames  covered  with 
net-work,  and  closed  by  means  of  a  cord.  [A  method  similar  to  this 
is  adopted  for  snaring  small  birds  in  many  parts  of  England.  It 
was  not  long  since  that  the  writer  watched  some  bird-catchers  on 
the  downs  nr.  Hastings,  whose  apparatus  might  have  been  suggested 
by  anc.  Egyptian  paintings.]  4.  Decoy  (Jer.  v.  26,  27),  a  cage  filled 
with  birds,  the  door  of  one  part  of  wh.,  being  kept  open  by  a  piece 
of  stick,  closed  suddenly  on  the  entrance  of  any  bird.  [This  method 
is  sometimes  used  by  the  birdcatchers  of  Whitechapel,  and  is  often 
combined  with  the  last-named.] 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Hunting  for  sub- 
sistence may  be  commended,  but  for  mere  sport  hardly  excusable  on  any 
grounds.  Health  may  he  sought  and  found  in  other  and  more  useful 
pursuits ;  and  the  breed  of  horses,  if  that  special  breed  be  of  any  practical 
utility,  may  he  kept  up  in  other  ways.  Much  damage  may  be  spared  to 
the  early  crops  : — 

"  Let  the  keen  hunter  from  the  chase  refrain, 
Nor  render  all  the  ploughman's  labour  vain, 
When  Ceres  pours  out  plenty  from  her  horn, 
And  clothes  the  fields  with  golden  ears  of  corn."      (Gay.) 
While  the  money  lavishly  spent  upon  hunting  establishments  might  ho 
much  better  expended  in  works  of  benevolence.     And  it  is  very  doubtful 
if  the  poet  has  drawn  a  true  picture  in  the  words, 

"High  life  of  a  hunter !  he  meets  on  the  hill 
The  new-waken'd  daylight,  so  bright  and  so  still ; 
And  feels,  as  the  clouds  of  the  morning  unroll, 
The  silence,  the  splendour,  ennoble  his  soul."       (Wilson.) 
The  great  trophy  of  the  hunt  being— a  fox's  tail !   "  The  expense  of  main- 
taining a  hunting  stud  amounts,  in  case  of  frequenters  of  Melton  Mowbray, 
to  £1,000  a  year  and  upwards;  while  the  yearly  sum  incurred  in  keeping 
up  a  pack  of  fox-hounds,  with  accessory  expenses,  will  fall  little  short 
of  £5,000."   (Book  of  Days,  ii.  491.)     2.   Hunting,  with  its  snares,  etc., 
may  remind  us  of  that  mighty  hunter,  Satan,  and  his  devices.     Pitfalls, 
decoys,  snares,  etc.,  for  the  unwary.    3.  Hence,  the  duty  of  watchfulness: 
"  In  vain  the  net  is  spread  in  the"  sight  of  any  bird  "  (Pr.  i.  17).     4.  God 
helps  us  to  escape  out  of  the  machinations  of  the  wicked  (Ps.  exxiv.  6-8). 
5.  Death  is  a  great  hunter  (Ecc.  ix.  12). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — I.  Discountenance  all  brutal  sport,  and 
cruelty  to  animals.  2.  Mere  recreation  too  expensive  when  it  passes  by 
want  "and  suffering,  and  attends  more  to  horses  and  dogs  than  men. 
3.  Beware  of  Satan's  pitfalls.  "Walk  circumspectly."  4.  He  is  now 
tho  "mighty  hunter  "  who  hunts  down  sins,  ignorance,  bad  habits,  etc. 


42  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Sowing.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Industrial 

I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Mode  :  ill.  by  Egyptian  paintings  (see  cut, 
K.  B.  ft,  or  S.  B.  D.,  art.  Agriculture).     Sower  held  vessel  (with 
us  called  seedlet)  cout.  seed  in  left  hand  (with  us  fastened  by  belt  to 
loins),  and  with  right  hand  scattered  seed 
broadcast,    uncertain   if  "  drawing   out " 
the  seed  (Ps.  exxvi.  6 :  A.  V.  "precious;" 
Am.  ix.  13)  =  drawing  out  of  seedlet,  or 
act  of  distributing.   "With  us,  first  plough- 
ing, then   sowing,  then  harrowing.     In 
E.,  in  sandy  soils,  sowing  first,  the  plough 
serving  purpose  of  harrow  for  covering 
seed.    (jiusseWs  Aleppo,  i.  74.)     In  wet 
Winnowing.  soils,  seed  trodden  in  by  feet  of  animals 

(Is.  xxxii.  20).  2.  Time  :  Depends  on  nature  of  coming  spring. 
If  lat.  part  of  Mar.  and  begin,  of  Ap.  be  rainy,  wheat,  and  esp. 
barley,  sown  now,  and  even  weeks  later,  may  yield  the  best  harvest. 
(T.  L.  B.  82.)  The  sowing  season  com.  in  Oct.,  and  cont.  to  end  of 
Feb.  ;  wheat  first,  and  barley  ait.  beg.  of  Jan.  {RusseVs  Aleppo,  i.  74.) 

II.  Bible  References.— Time  called  seed-time  (Ge.  viii.  22) 
needful  to  productiveness  (Jo.  xii.  24;  1  Cor.  xv.  36);  required 
diligence  (Ecc.  xi.  4,  6)  ;  often  wasted  (Mat.  xii  4-7) ;  and  danger 
(Ps?  exxvi.  5,  6)  :  seed-time  promised  (Ge.  viii.  21,  22)  ;  ground 
prepared  (Is.  xxviii.  24,  25) ;  oft.  sowed  beside  rivers  (Ecc.  xi.  1  ; 
Is.  xxxii.  20)  ;  trodden  in  (Is.  xxxii.  20)  ;  needed  rain  (Is.  lv.  10)  ; 
in  Egypt  artificial  irrigation  (Deu.  xi.  10);  great  increase  in  Cauaau 
(Ge.  xxvi.  12,  cf.  Mat.  xiii.  23).  Laws  respecting  :  Not  two  kinds 
together  (Lev.  xix.  19  ;  Deu.  xxii.  9)  :  if  dry,  not  unclean  (Lev.  xi. 
37),  as  when  wet  (38)  ;  tithe  given  to  God  (xxvii.  30)  ;  not  sown  in 
Sabbatical  yr.  (xxv.  4,  20),  or  year  of  Jubilee  (11).  Diff.  bctw.  it 
and  plant  (1  Cor.  xv.  37,  3S).  For  a  ruMSHMENT  it  rotted  in 
ground  (Joel  i.  17;  Mai.  ii.  3),  or  yielded  little  (Is.  v.  10  ;  Hag.  i.  0), 
or  dest.  bv  locusts  (Deu.  xxviii.  38  ;  Joel  i.  4).  or  by  enemies 
(Lev  xxvi!  16  ;  Deu.  xxviii.  33,  51),  or  by  thorns  (Mat.  xiii.  7). 

III.  Illustrations.— Lev.  xix.  19:  "  Josephus  (Ant.  iv.  8,  20)  sup. 
it  to  be  based  on  repugnance  of  nature  to  intermixture,  but  there  would 
appear  to  be  a  further  object  of  a  moral  character,  viz.,  to  impress  on 
men's  minds  the  gen.  lesson  of  purity."  (S.  B.  D.)  Ps.  exxvi.  5,  6  :  "  In 
troubled  times,  and  in  border  localities,  s.  is  attended  with  danger,  as  the 
Arabs  lie  eagerly  in  wait  to  plunder  the  sower.  It  has  therefore  been 
not  unusual  to  see  the  sower  well  armed  himself,  or  protected  by  the 
presence  of  one  or  two  armed  friends."  (K.  P.  H.  P.,  ii.,  cccxhi.)  "In 
seasons  of  great  scarcity,  the  poor  peasants  part  in  sorrow  with  every 
measure  of  precious  seed  cast  into  the  ground.  It  _  is  like  taking 
bread  out  of  the  mouths  of  their  children ;  and  in  such  times  many  bitter 
tears  are  actually  shed  over  it.  The  distress  is  frequently  so  great  that 
the  Government  is  obliged  to  furnish  seed,  or  none  would  be  sown. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  43 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Sowing. 

Ibrahim  Pasha  did  this  mure  than  onre  within  my  remembrance,  copying 
the  example,  perhap3,  of  his  great  predecessor  in  Egypt  (Ge.  xlvii.  19,  'l'i, 
24)  when  the  7  yrs.'  famine  was  ended."  (T.  L.  B.,  84.)  Joel  i.  17:  "  It  is 
certain  to  follow  if  they  sow  too  long  before  the  rain  comes.  The  seed 
then  rots,  and  the  work  must  be  done  over  again.  .  .  .  Such  a  day  of 
destr.  fir.  the  Almighty  has  more  than  once  come  upon  this  unhappy  land, 
because  of  the  wickedness  of  those  that  dwell  therein.  (T.  L.  B.,  85.)  Ge. 
xxvi.  12  :  "  There  is  a  verbal  accuracy  in  this  statement  worth  noting  .  .  . 
these  sowing  now  before  us  will  reap  in  less  than  4  mo.  This  is  tho 
gen.  result  now,  and  doubtless  it  was  in  the  days  of  the  patriarchs." 
(T.  L.  B.,  83.)  Mat.  xiii.  4  :  "  I  saw  several  peasants  running  ab.  the 
cornfields,  who  raised  loud  shouts,  and  every  now  and  then  cracked  their 
whips  with  all  their  force  ;  and  all  this  to  drive  away  the  birds  wh.  devour 
their  corn."     (Thevenot.) 

IV.  Moral  and.  Rsligiou3  Suggestions.— 1.  The  sustentation 

of  the  world  depends  on  Gods  blessing  on  the  sowing  : — 

"  How  awful  is  the  thought  of  the  wonders  underground, 
Of  the  mystic  changes  wrought  in  the  silent,  dark  profound ! 
How  each  thing  is  upward  tending,  by  necessity  decreed, 
And  the  world's  support  depending  on  the  shooting  of  a  seed ! " 

2.  Seed  ill.  the  Word  of  God  (Lu.  viii.  11 ;  2  Pet.  i.  23)  and  spiritual  life 
(1  Jo.  iii.  9).  3.  Sowing  ill.  (1)  preaching  the  Gospel  (Mat.  xiii.  3,  32  ; 
1  Cor.  ix.  11) ;  (2)  scattering  a  people  (Zee.  x.  9)  ;  (3)  Christian  liberality 
(Ecc.  ix.  6):  — 

"  See,  full  of  hope,  thou  trustest  to  the  earth 
The  golden  seed,  and  waitest  till  the  spring 
Summons  the  buried  to  a  happier  birth  ; 
But  in  Time's  furrow  duly  scattering, 
Think'st  thou  how  deeds,  by  wisdom  sown,  may  be 
Silently  ripen'd  for  eternity."  {Schiller.) 

(4)  effects  of  men's  works  (Job  iv.  8 ;  Hos.  x.  12  ;  Gal.  vi.  7,  8) ;  (5)  effects 
of  death  of  Christ  (Jo.  xii.  24) ;  (6)  burial  of  the  body  (1  Cor.  xv.  3G-38). 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Open  your  heart  to  admit  the  good  seed. 
2.  Seek  the  fertilizing  influences  of  Holy  Spirit.  .  3.  Be  a  sower  of  that 
seed  which  is  the  "Word  of  God,  and  good  words  and  deeds  : — 

"  Eouse  to  some  work  of  high  and  holy  love, 
And  thou  an  angel's  happiness  shalt  know — 
Shalt  bless  the  earth  while  in  the  world  above ; 
The  good  begun  by  thee  shall  onward  flow 
In  many  a  branching  stream,  and  wider  grow ; 
The  seed  that,  in  these  few  and  fleeting  hours, 
Thy  hands  unsparing  and  unwearied  sow, 
Shall  deck  thy  grave  with  amaranthine  flowers, 
And  yield  thee  fruits  divine  in  heaven's  immortal  bowers."    {Wilcox.) 
(C.  D.  N.'t.,  64,  65.) 


44 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Harvest.] 


MANNERS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Industrial 


Reapi 
24).     Ears  removed  in  baskets. 


I.  Descriptive. — Harvest f_Ger.,  herbst;  ~D.,herfst;  A.-S.,  haerfst, 
conn,  with  Lat.  carpo,  to  gather  fruit ;  Gk.,  karpos  =  fruit]  includes 
reaping,  threshing  (with  winnowing),  and  storing.    1.  Time  differed 

ace.  to  situation,  etc.  :  wheat  fr.  begin, 
of  May  till  end  of  June ;  barley  fort- 
night earlier.  2.  Reaping.  [A.  S.,ripan; 
Goth.,  raupjan;  Ger.,  raufen;  D.,  roopen, 
to  pluck,  akin  to  L.  rapio,  to  seize.]  Dif. 
modes  of  R.  in  Bible.  In  anc.  times 
plucked  up  by  roots,  as  this  day  barley, 
etc.,  in  Egypt,  reason  being  that  wheat, 
etc.,  does  not  grow  half  so  high  as  here. 
(Russet's  Aleppo,  i.  74.)  When  the  sickle 
was  used,  the  wheat  was  cut  off  close 
under  ear,  or  close  to  ground  (Job  xxiv. 
If  cut,  made  up  into  double  sheaves, 
i.e.,  ears  projecting  at  both  ends ;  if  plucked,  single  sheaves,  as  with 
ns.  The  Hebs.  made  up  com.  into  sheaves  (Oe.  xxxvii.  7  ;  Lev. 
xxiii.  10-15;  Ru.  ii.  7,  15;  Job  xxiv.  10;  Jer.  ix.  22;  Mic.  iv.  12), 
but  not  into  shocks  (in  Jud.  xv.  5 ;  Job  v.  26,  A.  v.,  the  word  = 
sheaves  laid  loosely  together  for  threshing).  Sickle  of  two  sorts — 
(1)  reaping-hook  like  ours,  and  (2)  kind  of  scythe.  3.  Threshing. 
[A.-S.,  therscan ;  Ice.,  thriskia ;  Ger.,  dreschen ;  prob.  akin  to  Lat. 
trituro,  to  thrash.]  Anc.  mode  still  com.  in  Syria  (see  Husbandry). 
Flails  used  for  small  quantities,  and  lighter  sorts  of  grain  (Ru.  ii. 
17;  Is.  xxviii.  27).  4.  Winnowing.  [A.-S.,  wind,  man;  old  Ger., 
tointa,  a  fan.]  Grain  tossed  against  wind  with  fork  (Jer.  iv.  11,  12) ; 
grain  fell  to  ground,  chaff  dispersed ;  then  again  cast  up  with  shovel 
(Is.  xxx.  24) ;  and  finally  a  sieve  was  used  to  separate  dust  (Am.  ix.  9). 
5.  Storing.  The  bam  was  often  a  place  under  ground  (Deu.  xxviii. 
8;  Pr.  iii.  10);  sometimes  a  granary  above  ground  (Lu.  xii.  18). 
Pits  are  lined  with  straw,  and  covered  with  stone  and  pyramid  of 
earth,  to  keep  grain  dry. 

II.  Bible  References.— 1 .  Harvest:  Ingathering  of  fruits 
(Mk.  iv.  29)  called  app.  weeks  (Jer.  v.  24)  ;  H.-time  (2  S.  xxiii.  13; 
Jer.  1.  16).  Fields  white  (Jo.  iv.  35).  Barley  at  Passover  (Lev. 
xxiii.  6,  10 ;  Ru.  i.  22).  Wheat  at  Pentecost  (Ex.  xxxiv.  22  ;  IS. 
xii.  17).  Men  and  women  (Ru.  ii.  8,  9).  Of  persons — reapers  (Ru. 
ii.  4);  binders  (Ge.  xxxvii.  7;  Ps.  exxix.  7);  harvest-men  (Is. 
xvii.  5) ;  labourers  (Mat.  ix.  37).  Rations  (Ru.  ii.  14).  Wages  (Jo. 
iv.  36).  Defrauded  (Jas.  v.  4).  Patience  needed  (Jas.  v.  7).  First- 
fruits  (Lev.  xxiii.  10,  14).  Time  of  joy  (Ps.  exxvi.  6;  Is.  ix.  3). 
Omitted  in  sabbatical  yr.  (Lev.  xxv.  5),  and  in  jubilee  yr.  (11,  12). 
Sabbath  observed  during  (Ex.  xxxiv.  21).  Poor  (Lev.  xix.  9,  10, 
xxiii.  22;  Deu.  xxiv.  19).  Failure— drought  (Am.  iv.  7);  locusts 
(Joel  i.  4) ;  for  years  (Ge.  xlv.  6) ;  caused  grief  (Is.  xvi.  9;  Joel  i.  11) ; 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  45 

Life.]  MANNERS  AXD  CUsroJ/S.  [Harvest. 

a  punishment  (Is.  xvii.  10,  11).  Sloth  in  (Pr.  x.  5).  Miracle  in 
(1  8.  xii.  17,  18).  2.  Reaping  :  Cutting  corn  (Job  xxiv.  6,  ct.  Lev. 
xxiii.  10).  Jews  not  to  reap  in  corners  of  fields  (xix.  9,  cf.  xxiii.  22); 
in  fields  of  others  (J)eu.  xxiii.  25).  Persons  under  steward  (Ku.  ii. 
5,  6)  visited  by  master  (Ru.  ii.  4  ;  2  K.  iv.  18).  Used  sickle  (Den. 
xvi.  9;  Mk.  iv.  29).  3.  TilREsniNG :  Separating  corn  fr.  straw 
(1  Ch.  xxi.  20).  Instruments — rod,  or  flail  (Is.  xxviii.  27);  cart 
wheels  (xxvii.  27,  28) ;  teethed  instruments,  the  noiej  (Is.  xli.  15; 
Am.  i.  3) ;  feet  of  ans.  (Is.  xxviii.  28 ;  Hos.  x.  1 1,  cf  2  S.  xxiv.  22). 
Place  for  called  floor  (Jud.  vi.  37;  Is.  xxi.  10);  threshing-fl.  (Nu. 
xviii.  27;  2  S.  xxiv.  Is) ;  barn-fl.  (2  K.  vi.  27);  corn-fl.  (Hos.  ix.  1). 
Large  and  roomy  (Ge.  1.  10).  On  high  ground  (1  Ch.  xxi.  18,  cf. 
2  Ch.  hi.  1);  by  wine-press  (Jud.  vi.  11).  Used  for  -winnowing  (Ru. 
iii.  2).  Often  robbed  (1  S.  xxiii.  1).  Fulness  of,  a  blessing  (Joel 
ii.  24);     Scarcity,  a  punishment  (Hos.  ix.  2). 

III.  Illustrations.— 1.  Harvest:  (1)  Seasons  of  grace  (Jer.  viii. 
20).  (2)  Time  of  willing  reception  of  truth  (Mat.  ix.  37,  38 ;  Jo.  iv.  35). 
(3)  Time  of  judgment  (Jer.  Ii.  33;  Hos.  vi.  11).  (4)  Ripeness  for  wrath 
(Joel  iii.  13;  Rev.  xiv.  15).  (5)  Dew  in,  God's  protection  (Is.  xviii.  4). 
(6)  Gold  in,  refreshing  message  (Pr.  xxv.  13).  (7)  Bain  in,  honour  to  fools 
(xxvi.  1).     (8)  End  of  world  (Mat.  xiii.  30,  39). 

"The  rustic's  song  proclaims  the  work  is  done. 

Each  honest  labourer's  features  wear  a  smile, 
For  Ceres  has  bestow'd  her  annual  boon — 

A  plenteous  harvest  crowns  their  '  useful  toil.' 
And  lo !  the  '  last  load '  leaves  the  stubble  fields, 

And  slowly  moves  along  the  upland  lea  ; 
In  chequer'd  groups  the  glowing  landscape  yields 

A  scene  of  jollity  and  social  glee. 
'Tis  eve — and  from  the  east,  so  lovely  blue, 

With  broader  disc  behold  pale  Cynthia  come ! 
And  oft  I  turn,  her  full  round  orb  to  view, 

And  muse  upon  the  final  '  Harvest  Home,' 
When  those  who  people  this  wide  world  shall  be 
All  gathered  to  their  final  destiny  !  " 

2.  Reaping:  (1)  Reward  of  wickedness  (Job  iv.  8  ;  Pr.  xxii.  8  ;  Hos.  viii.  7; 
Gal.  iv.  8) ;  (2)  of  righteousness  (Hos.  x.  12;  Gal.  vi.  8,  9).  (3)  Provision 
for  labours  (1  Cor.  ix.  11).  (4)  Gathering  souls  (Jo.  iv.  38).  (5)  Final 
judgment  (Mat.  xiii.  30,  39-43).  3.  Thkeshixg:  (1)  Judgments  (Is. 
xxi.  10;  Jer.  Ii.  33;  Hab.  iii.  12).  (2)  Labour  of  ministers  (1  Cor.  ix. 
9,  10).     (3)  Conquests  of  Churcb  (Is.  xli.  15,  16  ;  Mic.  iv.  13). 

IV.  Practical  Hints.—  1.  Labour  for  the  great  harvest.  2.  Tie- 
pare  for  it.  3.  No  reaping  without  sowing.  4.  Reaping  will  correspond, 
in  quality  and  quantity,  with  sowing.  5.  Cause  and  effect  follow  ea  h 
other  in  moral  as  in"  spiritual  world.  6.  Violent  process  needed  to 
separate  the  chaff;  so  with  us  to  separate  the  evil.  7.  Dif.  means  for  dif. 
kinds  of  grain ;  so  dif.  methods  for  dif.  characters. 

Vol.  IL— 4 


46 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Vintage.] 


MAxyzna  and  customs. 


[Industrial 


WlXE-PEESS. 


I.  Descriptive. — The  v.  used  to  be  a  season  of  great  festivity. 
This  usual  in  all  vine  countries.  It  began  in  Sept.  The  people  left 
the  towns,  and  dwelt  among  the  vineyards,   in   lodges   and   tents 

(Jud.  ix.  27  ;  Jet.  xxv.  30  ;  Is  xvi.  10 ; 
see  B.  O.  C,  275).  The  gatherers  ace. 
their  work  with  shouts  of  joy  (Jer. 
xxv.  30),  and  collect  the  grapes  in 
baskets  (Jer.  vi.  9),  wh.  were  carried, 
on  head  or  shoulders,  or  slung  on  a 
yoke,  to  wine-press.  Those  meant  for 
eating  placed  in  flat  baskets.  Finest 
grapes  (Robinson)  are  dried  as  raisins. 
Juice  of  rest,  after  being  trodden  and 
pressed,  "  is  boiled  down  to  a  syrup 
which,  under  the  name  of  dibs,  is  much 
used  by  all  classes,  wherever  vine- 
yards are  found,  as  a  condiment  with 
their  food."  The  wine-press,  made  to 
express  juice  of  grapes,  was  not  a  movable  utensil,  but  a  fixed 
structure,  formed  by  digging  (Mat.  xxi.  33).  Chardin  found  the 
wine-press  in  Persia  was  made  after  the  same  manner  ;  it  was  a 
hollow  place  du£  in  ground,  lined  with  mason-work.  Besides  this, 
they  had,  what  the  ltomans  called  locus,  the  lake,  a  large  open 
place  or  vessel,  wh.  by  a  spout  received  the  must  fr.  the  press.  In 
hot  countries  it  was  needtul  to  have  the  lake  underground,  for  cool- 
ness, that  the  heat  might  not  cause  too  great  a  fermentation,  and 
sour  the  must.  (Loicth  on  Isaiah  ii.  61.)  Hartley  states  that  such 
presses,  dug  in  the  ground,  are  still  to  be  met  with  in  the  vineyards. 
{Researches,  360;  P.  B.  I.,  i.  183.)  In  times  of  peace  the  press  was 
constructed  in  the  vineyard ;  in  time  of  war,  it  was  erected  in 
nearest  city.  (Chandler  s  Trav.,  126.)  This  explains  Neh.  xiii.  15. 
Hopes  were  fixed  to  a  transverse  pole  over  the  press  (see  cut),  by  wh. 
the  vintners  gave  greater  forje  and  elasticity  to  their  spring  or  leap. 

II.  Bible  References. — [Vineyards.]  (See  also,  Vine.)  Anti- 
quity ot'(Ge.  ix.  20);  design  of  planting  (Ps.  cvii.  37;  1  Cor.  ix.  7); 
often  walled  or  hedged  in  (Xu.  xxii.  24  ;  Pr.  xxi  v.  31  ;  Is.  v.  2,  5). 
Cottages  for  keepers  (Is.  i  8)  provided  with  press,  etc.  (Is.  v.  2  ; 
Mat.  xxi.  33).  Stones  gathered  out  (Is.  v:  2K  Laws  concerning: 
Not  planted  with  sev.  kinds  of  seed  (Deu.  xxii.  9) ;  not  cultivated 
during  sabbatical  year  (Ex.  xxiii.  11;  Lev.  xxv;  4);  nor  fruit 
gathered  in  sabbatical  or  jubilee  year  (Lev.  xv.  5,  11).  Compensa- 
tion for  injuries  (Ex.  xxii.  5).  Strangers  might  enter,  and  eat  fruit, 
but  not  take  any  away  (l)cu.  xxiii.  24),  Gleaning  for  poor  (Lev.  xix. 
10  ;  Dcu  xxiv.  21).  Fruit  of  new,  net  eaten  for  3  yrs.  (Lev.  xix. 
23).     Holy  to  the  Lord  in  4th  yr.  (24);  alter  eaten  by  owners  (25). 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACIIERS.  47 

Life  ]  MANSERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Vintage. 

Planters  of,  not  liable  to  military  service  till  they  had  eaten  fruit 
(l)eu  xx.  6).  Oiten  let  out  (Songviii.  11  ;  Mat.  xxi.  33)  ;  rent  paid 
by  part  of  fruit  (Mat.  xxi.  34)  ;  mortgaged  (Neh.  y.  3.  4);  estimated 
rent  (Song  viii.  11;  Is.  vii.  23);  profit  (Songviii.  12);  cultivated 
by  poor  (2  lv.  xxv.  12;  Is.  lxi.  5);  members  of  fain.  (Song  i.  6; 
Mat.  xxi.  28-30)  ;  mode  of  hiring  labourers  (Mat.  xx.  1,  2)  ;  of 
kings  (1  Ch.  xxvii.  27).  [Vintage.]  Time  ofrejoieing  (is.  xvi.  10)  ; 
contin.  to  seed-time  (Lev.  xxvi.  5)  j  failure,  caused  grief  (Is.  xvi. 
0,  10)  ;  red  grapes  esteemed  (xxvii.  2)  ;  produce  oft.  destroyed  by 
enemies  (Jer.  xlviii.  32) ;  by  insects  (Deu.  xxviii.  39;  Am.  iv.  9); 
unfavourable  seasons  (Is.  v.  10;  Hag.  i.  9,  11);  wicked  deprived  of 
(Am.  v.  11  ;  Zee.  i.  xiii.)  ;  llechabites  forbidden  (Jer.  xxxv.  7-9)  ;  of 
slothful  (Pr.  xxiv.  3D,  31). 

III.  Illustrations— Deu.  xxxii.  32,  33  ;  2  K.  iv.  39-41 :  The  night- 
shade,  called  by  Arabs  aneb-el-dib,  or  wolf-vine,  com.  in  Egypt  and 
Pal  stine,  grows  much  in  vineyards,  and  is  very  pernicious  to  them.  Is. 
lxiii.  3:  The  word  "alone"  has  a  special  emphasis,  because  it  was  usual 
for  several  (see  cut)  to  tread  together  in  the  press.  The  crushing  of  the 
grapes,  the  spurting  forth  of  the  purple  juice,  and  the  dark  stains  on  the 
vesture,  naturally  suggest  an  image  of  the  waste  and  destruction  ensuing 
fr.  the  triumph  of  some  mighty  conqueror.  Jer.  xxv.  30,  xlviii.  3S  :  So  great 
was  the  general  joy  inspired"  by  the  vintage,  that  its  cessation  was  one  of 
the  punishments  denounced  against  Moab.  Gen.  xlix.  11,  shows  the 
abundance  of  vines  that  should  fall  to  lot  of  Judah.  Song  ii.  1-5  :  "  The 
jackal  [q.  v.)  often  destroys  whole  vineyards  and  gardens  of  cucumbers." 
{Hasselquist  Trav.,  277.)  Jud.  ix.  27 :  "A  man,  with  his  feet  and  legs  bare, 
was  treading  tin-  fruit  in  a  kind  of  cistern,  with  a  hole  near  the  bottom, 
and  a  vessel  beneath  to  receive  the  liquor."     [Chandler's  Trav.,  2.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Analogies.— Vineyards  ill.  Jewish 

Church  lis.  v.  7.  xxvii.  2;  Jer.  xii.  10;  Mat.  xxi.  23),  and  by  analogy 
tli..-  Church  of  Christ.  Jews  the  people  of  God  ;  so  Christians.  The  Jews 
(like  vineyards)  expected  to  yield  choicest  fruit— holiness,  etc.  ;  so 
Christians.  Vintage  a  time  of  joy  ;  the  fruitfulness  of  Christian  vine- 
yard an  occasion  of  rejoicing.  The  failure  of  the  fruit  an  occasion  of 
grief ;  so  failure  of  fruit  of  righteousness  in  the  Church.  Vintage  destroyed 
by  insects,  foxes,  etc.,  ill.  the  power  of  little  sins  to  destroy  much  good. 
Keepers  of  vinevards  ill.  the  watchfulness  of  teachers  :  they  erected  their 
lodge  within  the  vineyard.  Teachers  and  guardians  of  others  should 
themselves  be  in  the  vineyard — the  Church. 

V.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Beware  of  little  sins.  2.  Praise  God  for 
His  care  of  His  vineyard.     3.  Remember  He  looks  for  fruit.     4.  Take 

of  your  own  vineyard  (Song  i.  6).  5.  In  the  work  of  our  salvation 
Jesus  was  alone— of  the  people  there  were  none  with  Him— He  trod  the 
wine-press  alone.  So  in  the  subduing  of  His  enemies.  He  is  the  oidy 
Saviour.     Are  you  saved  ? 


48  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Building.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Industrial 

I.  Historical. — The  Jews,  who  were  shepherds,  and  lived  in  tents, 
had,  strictly  speaking,  no  architecture.  The  towns  of  Canaan  wh. 
they  first  occ.  were  not  built  by  themselves  (Deu.  vi.  10;  Nu.  xiii. 

19).  In  Egypt,  fr.  what  they  sutv  and 
did,  they  must  have  ac.  great  skill  in 
B.  (Ex.  i.  11),  and  hence  were  able  to 
fortify  the  cities  they  took  (Nu.  xxxii. 
34-38).  When  they  became  dwellers  in 
houses,  the  limestone  of  Palestine  was 
ready  for  them  (Lev.  xiv.  34-45  ;  1  K. 
vii.  10;  S.  S.  P.,  146-8).  In  after- 
times,  the  peace  and  wealth  of  reign  of 
Solomon  gave  a  great  impulse  to  B. 
He  built  the  Temple,  palaces,  fortresses, 
and  cities,  as  Baalath  (Baalbec)  and 
BnicKMAKiNG.  Tadmor  (Palmyra)   (1  K.  ix.  15,  24). 

Other  kings  were  great  builders  :  Asa  (1  K.  xv.  23),  Baasha  (xvi.  17), 
Omri  (xvi.  24),  Ahab  (xvi.  34,  xxii.  39),  Hezekiah  (2  Iv.  xx.  20 ; 
2  Ch.  xxxii.  27,  30),  Jehoash,  Josiah  (2  K.  xii.  11,  12,  xxii.  6). 

II.  Descriptive. — Bricks  in  early  use  (Ge.  xi.  3).  Sun-dried  in 
Egypt  and  Nineveh ;  kiln-burnt  in  Babylon.  Straw  mixed  with  clay  to 
increase  tenacity  (Ex.  i.  14,  v.  6-19).  Egyptian  bricks,  with  dates  on 
them,  still  found  as  fresh  as  when  made ;  fr.  14  to  20  in.  long,  Q>\  to  8f  in. 
bid.,  4§  to  7  in.  thick.  In  the  tomb  of  an  architect  {Bekshare),  at  W. 
Thebes  (reign  of  Thothmes  III.,  cir.  1400  B.C.),  there  is  a  painting  ill.  of 
brick-making.  Some  are  digging  and  preparing  the  clay;  others  moulding, 
carrying,  piling  the  bricks,  with  task-masters  superintending  the  work. 
The  workmen  are  captives,  perhaps  Hebrews.  {Wilkinson,  Anc.  Egypt, 
ii.  197.)  Babylonian  bricks  (12  or  13  in.  sq.,  2>\  in.  thick)  are  found, 
some  enamelled,  coloured  patterns  impressed ;  many  with  name  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar on  them.  B.-kilns  named  (2  S.  xii.  30 ;  Jer.  xliii.  9) ;  labour 
(Nah.  iii.  14,  15).  Stones  were  often  used  of  vast  size.  Of  the  arch  in 
bridge  wh.  joined  Zion  to  the  Temple,  one  of  the  stones  is  "  25  ft.  long, 
another  more  than  20;  and  the  whole  width  of  bridge  ab.  51  ft.  Its  length 
across  the  Tyropoeon  to  perpendicular  face  of  Zion  could  not  have  been 
less  than  350  ft."  (T.  L.  £.,  691.)  Of  B.-tools,  we  have  the  saw,  measuring- 
reed,  and  plumb-line  (1  K.  vii.  9;  Ez.  xl.  3;  Am.  vii.  7,  8).  Corner-stone 
of  special  use  in  binding  together  the  2  sides  of  a  building.  In  Nineveh 
the  c.-s.  is  often  formed  of  a  single  angular  stone. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  The  Church  is  a 

building  of  God  (1  Cor.  iii.  9;  Ep.  ii.  22).  2.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Corner- 
stone, binding  the  building  together  (Ps.  cxviii.  22 ;  Is.  xxviii.  16 ;  Mat. 
xxi.  42;  Ac.  iv.  11;  1  Pet.  ii.  6).  3.  III.  social  structure:  sons  polished 
stones — manly  grace,  etc. ;  daus.  corner-stones — by  virtue,  etc.,  holding 
all  together ;  and  the  whole  fabric  as  a  palace  (Ps.  cxliv.  12). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  In  building  for  eternity,  see  to  founda- 
tion (Lu.  iv.  48,  49;  1  Cor.  iii.  11  ;  Heb.  vi.  1).  2.  If  you  belong  to 
Christ,  there  is  the  good  hope  of  a  better  world  (2  Cor.  v.  1).  3.  The 
last  day  will  test  the  character  of  the  building  (1  Cor.  iii.  10-12). 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  49 

Life.]  MANNMtS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Weaving. 

I.  Historical.— Anc.  art  lost  in  antiquity.  [Ace.  to  Gk.  tradition, 
the  idea  gathered  i'r.  web  of  spider.  Minerva  changed  Arachne  into 
spider,  because  surpassed  her  in  weaving  and  spinning  (hence  the 
spider  class  called  Arachnida).]  w.  more  anc.  than  spinning;  at 
first  matting,  simple  interlacings  of  shreds  of  bark,  lacustrine  plants, 
vegetable  stalks  (straw,  rushes).  At  length  tibres  were  used  (flax, 
hemp,  cotton,  silk) ;  presently  wool  (first  mentioned  by  Homer)  and 
hair.  Wool,  dyed.,  brought  in  costly  vase;  spindles  or  distaffs  of 
precious  material;  spinning,  etc.,  by  ladies  of  quality.  Hence  the 
present  of  queen  of  Egypt  to  consort  of  Menelaus,  on  their  return 
from  Troy : — 

"  Alcandria,  consort  of  his  high  command, 
A  golden  distaff  gave  to  Helen's  hand ; 
And  that  rich  vase,  with  living  sculpture  wrought, 
Which,  heap'd  with  wool,  the  beauteous  Phyle  brought; 
The  silken  fleece,  empurpled  for  the  loom, 
Rivall'd  the  hyacinth  in  vernal  bloom."         {Odyssey,  iv.) 

Formerly  all  women  in  a  fam.  spun,  esp.  the  unmarried  daus.  of  a 
house.  Hence  spinster,  a  woman  who  spins  =  an  unmarried  female. 
Anc.  same  in  principle  and  similar  in  form  to  modern  hand-loom. 

II.  Bible  References  to  W.—  Egyptians  skilled  in  (Is.  xix.  9; 
Ez.  xxvii.  7).  w.  in  wilderness :  curtains  (Ex.  xxvi.  7) ;  woollen  garment 
(Lev.  xiii.  47) ;  "twined  linen"  (Ex.  xxvi.  1) ;  broidered  raiment  (xxviii. 
4,  39).  See  also  1  Ch.  iv.  21 ;  2  K.  xxiii.  7  ;  Pr.  xxxi.  3,  24 ;  Ps.  xlv.  13, 
cf.  Jos.  vii.  21 ;  Jo.  xix.  23,  cf.  J.  Aut.,  iii.  7,  4).  Implements,  etc. : 
Shuttle  (Job  vii.  6) ;  pin  of  web,  or  beam  (Jud.  xvi.  14) ;  warp  (13,  14) ; 
beam  (1  S.  xvii.  7 ;  2  S.  xxi.  19) ;  thrum,  i.  e.,  ends  of  threads  wh.  tied 
web  to  beam  (Is.  xxxviii.  12,  marg.) ;  warp,  woof  (Lev.  xiii.  48,  49, 
51-53,  56-59). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Analogies.— "Weaving  and  fife. 
1.  Shuttles  filled  with  dif.  tibre — wool,  cotton,  etc. :  so  life — wealth, 
poverty,  learning,  etc.  2.  Weaver  works  by  pattern  ;  life  should  proceed 
by  design.  Christ  the  best  pattern.  3.  Weaving  employs  whole  man — 
thought,  eye,  hand,  feet;  so  life.  4.  Strength  of  whole  fabric  depends  on 
quahty  of  each  thread ;  so  of  life  on  words,  thoughts,  deeds.  5.  w.  in- 
terrupted by  breaking  of  thread ;  so  life,  by  disappointment,  failure,  etc. 

6.  w.  a  wide  piece  needed  2  persons,  who,  if  not  well  watched,  might 
hinder  each  other;   so,  in  life's  partnerships,  "be  not  unequally  yoked." 

7.  The  shuttle  flies  swiftly ;  so  does  life.  8.  Each  flight  of  shuttle  leaves 
a  contribution  behind  it ;  so  every  thought,  word,  etc.  9.  As  the  work  of 
the  weaver  is  examined,  so  life-work.  10.  As  fabric  needs  bleaching, 
fulling,  etc.,  so  life  needs  to  be  washed  in  the  fountain  open  for  sin,  etc. 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  As  we  weave,  so  we  shall  wear  (Is.  xix. 
9,  lix.  6).  2.  The  best  robe  for  the  future  is  the  robe  of  Christ's 
righteousness.  3.  The  hypocrite's  hope  will  be  as  a  spider's  web,  self- 
spun,  rotten,  etc. 


50  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Presents.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Social 

I.  Descriptive. — Giving  and  receiving  p.  a  very  formal  and 
significant  custom  in  E.  "  It  enters  largely  into  the  ordinary  trans- 
actions of  life  :  no  negotiation,  alliance,  or  contract  of  any  kind  can 
be  entered  into  betw.  states  or  sovereigns 
-without  the  previous  interchange  of  presents. 
None  of  the  important  events  of  private  life 
— betrothal,  marriage,  coming  of  age,  birth — 
take  place  without  p. ;  even  a  visit,  if  of  a 
formal  nature,  must  be  prefaced  by  a  present." 
(S.  B.  D.)  Hence,  in  Heb.  many  dif.  words 
sig.  presents  of  var.  natures  and  purposes. 
Wf  Minchahr=zp.  fr.  inferior  to  superior  (Jud. 
^^^^^^ifjr  "i-  155    1  K-  x-  25!  -  Ch-  xvii.  5);  maseth 

=  the  opposite  (Ge.  xliii.  34;  2  S.  xi.  8;  Est. 
ii.  18);  the  meaning •  of  nisseth  is  similar  (2  8. 
xix.  42).  Bcrucah  (lit.,  a  blessing)  =  compli- 
mentary, good  wishes,  affection  (Ge  xxxiii.  11;  Jud.  i.  15;  1  S. 
xxv.  27,  xxx.  26;  2  K.  v.  15).  Shochad  =  a  gift,  to  avoid  punish- 
ment, to  a  judge  (Ex.  xxiii.  8;  Deiit.  x.  IT),  or  conqueror  (2  K. 
xvi.  8).  A  P.  =  tribute  or  fee,  of  conquered  state,  was  an  exaction 
(Jud.  iii.  15-18;  2  S.  viii.  2-6;  1  K.  iv.  21  ;  2  K.  xvii.  3;  2  Ch. 
xvii.  11,  xxvi.  8).  "To  bring  p."  =  acknowledgment  of  submission 
(Ps.  lxviii.  29,  lxxvi.  11;  Is.  xviii.  7).  Prophets  received  Ps'.  as 
"consulting  fee"  (1  S.  ix.  7,  cf.  xii.  3  ;  2  K.  v.  5,  viii.  9);  false 
prophets  received  a  bribe,  shochad  (Is.  i.  23,  v.  23;  Ez.  xxii.  12; 
Mic.  iii.  11). 

II.  Bible  Heferences  to  P.—  Occasions  :  Friendship  (Est. 
ix.  19,  22)  ;  seeking  advice  (2  K.  viii.  8),  or  help  (Ge.  xliii.  11 ;  2  K. 
xv.  19,  xvi.  8);  to  favourites  (Ge.  xlv.  22  ;  2  S.  xi.  8),  or  officers 
(Est.  ii.  18,  cf  J.  Ant,  xii.  2,  15) ;  to  people  in  festivity  (2  S.  vi.  19) ; 
on  marriages,  by  bridegroom  (Ge.  xxxiv.  12,  cf.  xxiv.  22) ;  by  father 
of  bride  (1  K.  ix.  16)  ;  to  appease  anger  (Ge.  xxxii.  20;  IS.  xxv. 
27,  28,  35);  confirm  treaties  (Ge.  xxi.  28-30);  reward  service  (2  S. 
xviii.  '12;  Dan.  ii.  6,  48);  show  respect  (Jud.  vi.  18);  recovery  fr. 
sickness  (2  K.  xx.  12) ;  restoration  to  prosperity  (Job  xlii.  10,  11) ; 
sending  away  friends  (Ge.  xlv.  22  ;  Jer.  xl.  5).  Ccstoms:  Essential 
on  business  visits  (1  S.  ix.  7) ;  absence  of,  mark  of  disrespect  (1  S. 
x.  27 ;  2  K.  xvii.  4) ;  procured  fav.  reception  (Pr.  xviii.  G,  xix.  6)  ; 
sometimes  refused  (Mai.  i.  8)  ;  valuable  fr.  the  wealthy  (2  K.  v.  5; 
2  Ch.  ix.  1);  receiving,  a  sign  of  goodwill  (Ge.  xxxiii.  10,  11). 
Tiiings  GIVEN:  Cattle  (Ge.  xxxii.  14,  15,  18);  horses,  mules  (1  K. 
x.  25);  monev  (Ge.  xlv.  22;  1  S.  ix.  8;  Job  xlii.  11);  food  (Ge. 
xxxiii.  11;  IS.  xxv.  18;  1  K.  xiv.  3) ;  clothes  (Ge.  xlv.  22 ;  1  S. 
xviii.  4);  weapons  (1  S.  xviii.  4);  ornaments  (Ge.  xxiv.  22,  47;  Job 
xlii.  11);  gold  and  silver  vessels  (1  K.  x.  25);  jewels  (1  K.  x.  2); 
servants  (Ge.  xx.  14,  xxix.  24,  29).     Mode  of  giving  :  Carried  by 


f 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACnERS.  51 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Presents. 

servants  (Jud.  iii.  18);  by  camels,  etc.  (1  S.  xxv.  18;  2  K.  viii.  9  ; 
2  Ch.  ix.  1) ;  preceded  giver  (Ge.  xxxii.  21),  or  presented  in  person 
(Ge.  xliii.  15,  26;  Jud.  iii.  17;  1  S.  xxv.  27)  with  great  ceremony 
(Ge.  xliii.  25;  Jud.  iii.  18;  Mat.  ii.  17). 

III.  Illustrations. — Ge.  xxxiii.  10:  "Not  to  receive  a  present  ia 
at  once  to  show  that  the  thing  desired  will  not  be  granted.  Hence, 
nothing  can  be  more  repulsive,  nothing  more  distressing,  than  to  return 
the  gifts  to  the  giver.  Jacob  evidently  laboured  under  this  impression, 
and  therefore  pressed  his  brother  to  receive  the  gift,  if  he  had  found 
favour  in  his  sight."  (Roberts.)  D'Arvieux  tells  us  that  when  he  waited 
on  an  Arab  emir,  his  mother  and  sister,  to  gratify  whose  curiosity  that 
visit  was  made,  sent  him,  early  in  the  morning  after  his  arrival  in  their 
camp,  a  present  of  pastry,  honey,  and  fresh  butter,  with  a  basin  of  sweet- 
meats of  Damascus.  Sir  John  Chardin  tells  us,  in.  his  Travels,  of  an 
officer  whose  business  it  was  to  register  the  presents  that  were  made  to  his 
master  or  mistress ;  and  Egmont  and  Heyman,  speaking  of  the  presents 
made  at  the  Ottoman  court  on  account  of  the  circumcision  of  the  Grand 
Seignor's  children,  tell  us  that  all  these  donations,  with  the  time  when, 
and  on  what  occasion  given,  were  carefully  registered  in  a  book  kept  for 
that  purpose.  Ge.  xliii.  25;  Jud.  iii.  18  ;  Mat.  ii.  17:  "Presents  are  com- 
monly sent,  even  to  persons  in  private  station,  with  great  parade.  The 
money  which  the  bridegrooms  of  Syria  pay  for  their  brides  is  laid  out  in 
furniture  for  a  chamber,  in  clothes,  jewels,  and  ornaments  of  gold  for  the 
bride,  wh.  are  sent  with  great  pomp  to  the  bridegroom's  house  three  days 
before  the  wedding."  (Mussel's  Hist.,\.  284.)  "In  Egypt,  every  article 
of  dress,  furniture,  and  ornament  is  displayed,  and  they  never  fail  to  load 
upon  4  or  5  horses  what  might  easily  be  carried  by  one :  in  like  manner, 
they  place  in  15  dishes  the  jewels,  trinkets,  and  other  things  of  value,  wh. 
a  single  plate  would  hold."   (Maillet,  Lett.  x.  86.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — 1.  God  the  author  of 

every  good  gift.  2.  Jesus  Christ  the  unspeakable  gift.  3.  He  gives  not 
as  the  world  giveth;  dif.  in  form,  method,  purpose.  What  the  world 
cannot  give ;  without  ostentation ;  at  fittest  time ;  in  wise  measure ;  for 
best  purpose.  4.  He  knows  how  to  give  good  gifts  to  them  that  ask,  etc. 
5.  Gifts  of  men  often  lay  us  under  unpleasant  sense  of  obligation;  of 
God,  excite  gratitude  and  love.  6.  God  looks  for  a  return — a  gift  from 
us.  "My  son,  give  me  thine  heart."  A  poor  gift,  but  "a  contrite  heart, 
O  God,  Thou  wilt  not  despise."  7.  The  value  of  a  gift  often  enhanced 
by  seasonableness.  The  proper  season  in  wh.  to  give  the  heart  to  God, 
in  the  days  of  youth. 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  God  has  given  many  gifts  to  us;  what 
return  have  we  made  ?  2.  The  liberal  hand  maketh  rich.  There  is  that 
scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth.  Giving  the  heart  to  God  enriches  the 
giver.  3.  We  can  only  give  to  God  what  is  already'  His  ;  for  we  are  not 
our  own,  we  are  bought  with  a  price,  and  should  therefore  glorify  God  in 
our  body  and  spirit,  which  are  His. 


52 


TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS. 


Salutations.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Social 


I.  Descriptive.— 1 .  Salutations.  Hebreics :  Generally  of 
deeply  religious  tone  ;  at  any  rate  before  the  nation  had  lapsed  into 
a  formal  ceremoniousness.     Among  Hebrews,  s.  are:  1.  "  Blessed  be 

thou  of  the  Lord," 
and  =  phrases.  2. 
"  The     Lord     be 
with     thee."      3. 
'  Peace    be    unto 
thee."  This  is  the 
^EZi    most  com.  s.     In 
Frs_—   lands  often  deso- 
SE|  lated      by      war, 
Pjgll  "  Peace  "  =  every 
gjP§  blessing ;  and  the 
r^=^  phrase  =  "  Pros- 
-?  perous   be   thou" 
-„.*.  (Jud.     xix.     20; 

°**  ~^sr^=^=^=^==^  Rev.  ii.  4  ;     IS. 

FuEMS  of  Oriental  Salutation.  XXV.  6  •  2  S.  XX.  9- 

Ps.  exxix.  S).  4.  "  Live,  my  Lord,"  a  com.  s.  among  Phoenicians. 
Used  by  Hebs.,  when  addressing  kings,  in  extended  form,  "Let  the 
king  live  for  ever  "  (1  K.  i.  31)  ;  used  also  in  Babylon  and  Persia 
(Dan.  ii.  4,  iii.  9,  v.  10,  vi.  6,  21  ;  Neh.  ii.  3)  ;  has  its  equivalent  in 
most  nations  :  Latin,  "  Yivat !  "     French,  "  Vive  le  Roi  !  "  English, 

" for  ever  !  "  5.  xa'Pe'  xf"Pere=:iov  to  *nee  '  Jov  to  T0U  •'  trans. 

"hail  !  "  =  to  Lot.  Ave  !  Salve  !  (Mat.  xxvii.  29,'xxv'iii.  9;  Mk. 
xv.  18 ;  Lu.  i.  28 ;  Jo.  xix.  3).  2.  Gestures  :  According  to 
dignity  or  station  of  person  saluted.  (1)  Person  who  salutes,  places 
at  same  time  his  hand  on  his  breast,  and  then  with  same  hand 
touches  his  forehead  or  turban.  (2)  Body  gently  inclined,  right  hand 
on  left  breast.  (3)  Respect  to  high  rank  shown  by  bending  hand 
to  ground,  and  then  touching  lips  or  forehead.  (4)  Hand  of  supe- 
rior kissed  on  back.  Son  kisses  hand  of  father  ;  wife,  of  husband. 
(5)  Kissing  the  beard,  after  long  absence,  still  observed.  The  person 
who  gives  the  kiss  lays  the  right  hand  under  the  beard,  supporting 
it  while  it  receives  his  kiss  (2  S.  xx.  9).  (6)  In  some  parts  (as  Arabia 
Petraea)  persons  lay  right  side  of  cheeks  together*  (7)  In  Persia 
they  kiss  ea.  other  on  lips  ;  if  a  person  of  rank,  the  kiss  is  on  the 
cheek  (Ge.  xxix.  11,  13,  xxxiii.  4,  xlviii.  10-12  ;  Ex.  iv.  27,  xviii.  7). 
"  Another  mode  of  s.  is  usual  among  friends  on  meeting  aft.  a 
journey.  Joining  their  right  hands  together,  ea.  of  them  compli- 
ments the  other  upon  his  safety,  and  expresses  his  wishes  for,  his 
welfare,  by  repeating,  alternately,  many  times,  the  wcrd  Salamat 
(=1  congratulate  you  on  your  safety)  teii/ibeen  (=  I  hope  you  are  well). 
In  commencing  this  ceremony,  wh.  is  oft.  contin.  for  nearly  a  minute 
before  they  proceed  to  make  any  inquiries,  they  join  their  hands  in 
the  same  way  as  with  us"  (2  K.  iv.  19  j  Lu.  x.*4).     (Kitto) 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  53 

.Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Salutations. 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  S.— Ancient  (Ge.  xviii.  2,  xix.  1).  Pehsons 
giving  (Ge.  xlvii.  7  ;  1  S.  x.  3,  4,  xvii.  22,  xxx.  21  ;  Ps.  exxix.  8). 
Expressions  obbd  (Ge.  xliii.  2i)  ;  Jud.  xix.  20  ;  Ku.  ii.  4  ;  IS.  xv.  13, 
xxv.  6 ;  2  S.  xx.  9;  Ps.  exxix.  8 ;  Mat.  xxvi.  49,  xxvii.  29,  c/.,  Mk.  xv.  18  ; 
Lu.  i.  28,  x.  5).  Gestukes  (Ge.  xxxiii.  3,  4,  xlv.  14,  15;  Est.  viii.  3; 
2  S.  xx.  9 ;  Ps.  lxxii.  9  ;  Is.  xlix.  23  ;  Mat.  ii.  11,  xiv.  36,  xxviii.  9  ;  Lu. 
vii.  38,  45,  viii.  41,  xv.  20).  Customs  kelating  to:  Entering  a  house 
(Jud.  xviii.  15  ;  Mat.  x.  12;  Lu.  i.  40,  41,  44).  Often  sent  by  messengers 
(1  S.  xxv.  5,  14  ;  2  S.  viii.  10)  ;  by  letter  (Ro.  xvi.  21-23  ;  1  Cor.  xvi.  21  ; 
Col.  iv.  18  ;  2  Thes.  iii.  17).     Denied  to  bad  characters  (2  Jo.  10,  11). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "As  a  man's  salu- 
tation, so  is  the  total  of  his  character :  in  nothing  do  we  lay  ourselves  so 
open  as  in  our  manner  of  meeting  and  salutation."  (Lavater.)  Ordinary 
phrases  of  salutation  may  be  meaningless,  yet  have  their  uses.  The  small 
change  of  conversation,  and  small  change  often  convenient.  The  little 
courtesies  of  speech  and  manner,  wh.  are  recognised  by  custom,  not  to  be 
slighted.  To  do  60  betrays  boorishness,  littleness,  pride,  conceit,  Phari- 
saism. Right  of  Mordecai  not  to  salute  Haman  (Est.  iii.  2)  because  of 
religious  principle  involved.  They  not  only  "bowed,"  but  "reverenced." 
(For  the  reason  see  v.  4 :  "  He  was  a  Jew.")  To  salute  the  rich,  etc.,  only 
a  sign  of  servility,  sycophancy,  etc.  To  seek  for  homage,  and  be  angry 
at  not  receiving  it,  indicate  meanness  and  vanity. 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Be  polite.  2.  Do  not  disregard  the 
harmless  usages  of  society.  3.  Be  sincere.  4.  Seek  for  yourselves  and 
others  the  peace  that  passeth  all  understanding. 

[Addenda.— As  every  nation  has  its  own  coins,  so  also  its  peculiar  forms 
of  s.  In  the  E.  the  sign  is  peace  or  repose  (Heb.  shalon  ;  Ar.  salam),  wh. 
words  with  Orientals  include  every  species  of  happiness.  The  Gk.  feared 
nothing  but  repose,  hence  his  s.  was  "act  successfully,"  and  as  he 
delighted  in  pleasure,  he  wished  it  to  his  friends,  saying,  "Flesh,  rejoice!  " 
The  Rom.  set  less  value  on  pleasure,  and  was  more  interested  in  strength 
as  the  basis  of  character  ;  hence  his  Quomodo  vales  !  =  lit.  "  How  is  your 
strength?"  and  Vale  et  salve !  =  "  Be  strong  and  healthy."  The  Ital. 
have  3  modes  of  s.  for  the  day.  Morning  s.,  bio  vi  dia  et  luono  giorno 
—  "  God  give  you  a  good  morrow."  Noon  s.,  Dia  vi  dia  salutce  =  "  God 
give  you  health."  Even,  s.,  Buono  sera  =  "  Good  even."  They  often 
say,  Mi  aceommando  =  "  I  commend  me  to  you."  Aft.  2  or  3  hrs.  of 
night  are  gone,  they  say,  Bio  vi  dia  la  buona  notte  =  "  God  give  you 
goodness  of  the  night."  The  character  of  the  French  is  remarkably  ill. 
bv  their  s.  Comment  vous  portez-vous  ?  =  "  How  do  you  carry  yourself?  " 
The  s.  of  the  German,  who  is  more  introspective,  is  Wie  bejinden  sic  sick  ? 
=  "  How  do  you  find  yourself  ?  "  The  practical  Englishman  says,  "  How 
do  you  do?"  =  How  go  your  affairs  ?  and  his  go-ahead  cousin  Jonathan 
says,  "How  do  you  get  along  ?"  to  which  the  reply  may  be,  "  Straight 
ahead."  The  Dutchman  says,  Hoe  vaert,  mynheer  ?  =  "  How  travels  my 
lord  ?  "  wh.  s.  at  once  presents  to  our  imagination  a  big  Dutchman,  well 
fid  and  well  clad,  travelling  at  his  ease  in  a  gaudy  trecshuyt  on  one  of 
his  superb  canals,  and  hailing  a  passing  friend  to  inquire  if  he  also  travels 
as  conveniently. — Percy  Ane<:dutes.~\ 


54  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Travelling.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOM*.  [Social 

I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Journeys.  The  custom  in  E.  is  to  trav.  in 
morn,  and  even.,  and  rest  in  heat  of  day.  Hence,  Abraham,  sitting 
at  his  tent-door  for  coolness,  expected  the  3  "strangers  to  rest  (Ge. 
xviii.  1-5).  A  day's  J.  was  prob.  fr. 
10  to  20  m.  (Nu.  xi  21  ;  Deu.  i.  2), 
but  has  been  reckoned  by  Kitto  at 
23  m.  (K.  P.  B.  on  Ge.  xxx.  36). 
Sabbath-day's  J.  =  2000  cubits,  or 
paces,  i.  e.,  ab.  0  furlongs,  or  f  of  m. 
(Ac.  i.  12),  and  is  supp.  to  be  taken 
fr.  space  left  betw.  the  people  and 
the  ark  -when  they  crossed  over 
Jordan  (Jos.  iii.  4).  2.  Caravan 
[Pers.,  kdriodn\.  Both  nature  of 
country  and  state  of  society  render 
it  needful  that  those  who  travel  tho 


Camel-riding. 


same 


way  should  go  together.  Such 
a  company  called  a  caravan.  A  very 
anc.  method.  Joseph  sold  to  merchants  composing  one.  (Ge.  xxxvii.) 
It,  too,  was  passing  over  the  plain  of  Dothan,  on  the  high  caravan 
road  for  Egypt.  (Vincent,  Com.  and  Nav.  of  Anc,  ii.  2G2.)  3.  Cara- 
vanserais [Ar.,  khan,  or  karavanserai].  No  hotels,  inns,  hostelries, 
in  E.  in  anc.  times,  resembling  those  in  this  country.  Usually  but 
walled  enclosures,  with  a  well  in  the  centre,  and  sleeping  apartments 
along  one  or  more  sides.  Sometimes  they  are  of  a  superior  desc, 
having  servants,  cooks,  a  shop  in  the  porter's  house,  and  a  large  hall 
in  the  centre  of  ea.  side  =  a  travellers'  room.  Usually  ea.  carries 
his  own  necessaries.  "  The  baggage  of  a  man  consists  of  a  carpet, 
a  mattress,  a  blanket ;  two  saucepans,  with  lids,  contained  within  ea. 
other  ;  two  dishes,  two  plates,  etc.,  coffee-pot,  all  of  copper  well 
tinned,"  etc.,  etc.  ( Volney.)  Khan  =  lodge,  or  inn,  in  or  nr.  towns  ; 
caravanserais  =  lodge  for  caravans  in  desert  places.  (For  further 
desc.  see  K.  P.  B.  on  Lu.  ii.  7.) 

II.  Bible  References. — Travellers  called  wayfaring  men  (Jud. 
xix.  17 ;  Is.  xxxv.  8) ;  their  preparations  (Ez.  xii.  3,  4) ;  caravans 
(Ge.  xxxvii.  25;  Is.  xxi.  13;  Lu.  ii.  44);  guides  (Nu.  x.  31,  32; 
Job  xxix.  15).  Equipage:  provisions  (Jos.  ix.  11,  12;  Jud.  xix.  19) ; 
provender  for  cattle  (Ge.  xlii.  27;  Jud.  xix.  19);  water-skins  (Ge. 
xxi.  14,  15;  Jos.  ix.  13);  presents  for  entertainers  (Ge.  xliii.  15; 
1  K.  x.  2;  2  K.  v.  5;  Mat.  ii.  11).  Friends  of,  oft.  supplied  with 
provision  (Ge.  xxi.  14,  xliv.  1 ;  Jer.  xl.  5) ;  went  with  them  part  of 
way  (2  S.  xix.  31 ;  Ac.  xx.  38,  xxi.  5) ;  commend  them  to  God  (Ge. 
xliii.  13,  14;  Ac.  xxi.  5);  took  leave  with  sorrow  (Ac.  xx.  37,  xxi.  G); 
sent  away  with  music  (Ge.  xxxi.  27).  Customs :  set  out  in  early 
morn  (Jud.  xix.  5);  rested  at  noon  (Ge.  xviii.  1,  3;  Jo.  iv.  6);  halted 
at  even  (Ge.  xxiv.  11) ;  usually  by  wells  or  streams  (xxiv.  11,  xxxii. 


TOPICS   FOR   TEACHEHS.  55 

Life]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Travelling. 

21,  23 ;  Ex.  xv.  27  ;  1  S.  xxx.  21  ;  Jo.  iv.  6) ;  oft.  trav.  on  foot  (Ge, 
xxviii.  10,  cf.  xxxii.  10;  Ex.  xii.  37;  Ac.  xx.  13);  and  well  attired 
(Ex.  xii.  11).  Aft,  long  journey  (Jos.  ix.  4,  5,  13),  civility  to  (Gc. 
xviii.  2,  xxiv.  18,  19),  hospitality  to  (xviii.  3-8,  xix.  2,  xxiv.  25,  32, 
33;  Ex.  ii.  20;  Jud.  xix.  20,  21;  Job  xxxi.  32;  see  Heb.  xiii.  2); 
protected  by  entertainers  (Ge.  xix.  6-8 ;  Jud.  xix.  23) ;  questioned 
[Jud.  ix.  17);  left  highway  for  safety  (Jud.  v.  G).  Caravanserais 
noticed  (Ge.  xlii.  27 ;  Ex.  iv.  24 ;  Lu.  ii.  7,  x.  34).  Travellers  on 
errands  went  with  great  speed  (Est.  viii.  10;  Job  ix.  2<5)  ;  saluted 
none  by  way  (2  K.  iv.  29;  Lu.  x.  4;  see  Salutation).  Length  of 
journey  estimated  by  time  (Ge.  xxxi.  23;  Deu.  i.  2  ;  2  K.  iii.  9). 
Not  to  journey  long  on  Sabbath  (Ex.  xx.  10,  cf.  Ac.  i.  12).  Ceasing 
of,  a  calamity  (Is.  xxxiii.  8).  Travellers  of  distimtion  rode  on  asses, 
camels,  etc.  (Ge.  xxii.  3,  xxiv.  61;  Nu.  xxii.  21)  ;  in  chariots  (2  K. 
v.  9;  Ac.  viii.  27,  28);  attended  by  running  footmen  (1  S.  xxv.  27, 
marg.;  1  K.  xviii.  46;  2  K.  iv.  24;  Ecc.  x.  7) ;  preceded  by  heralds, 
etc.,  to  prepare  roads  (Is.  xl.  3,  4,  cf.  Mk.  i.  2,  3) ;  journeyed  with 
state  (1  K.  x.  2 ;  2  K.  v.  5,  9) ;  levied  contributions  by  way  (Jud. 
viii.  5,  8 ;  IS.  xxv.  4-13)  ;  before  setting  out  (Mat,  xxv.  14). 

III.  Illustrations.— Nu.  x.  31 :  "A  hybeer  is  a  guide,  fr.  the  Arab. 
hvbbar,  to  inform,  instruct,  direct,  because  they  are  used  to  do  this  office 
to  the  caravan  trav.  through  the  desert They  are  men  of  great  con- 
sideration, knowing  perfectly  the  situation  and  properties  of  all  kinds  of 
water  to  be  met  on  the  route,  the  distances  of  wells,  whether  occupied  by 
enemies  or  not,  and  if  so,  the  way  to  avoid  them  with  the  least  incon- 
venience  He  generally  belongs  to  some  powerful  tribe  of  Arabs 

inhabiting  these  deserts,  whose  protection  he  makes  use  of  to  assist  his 
caravans,  or  protect  them  in  time  of  danger,  and  handsome  rewards  are 
always  in  his  power  to  distribute  on  such  occasions."  [Bruce,  Travels, 
iv.  586.)  Ps.  xxiii.  4:  "The  Arabs,  and  others  whom  we  saw,  carried  in 
their  hands  a  small  stick  or  staff',  ab.  3  ft.  long,  having  a  crook  at  the  top, 
with  an  oblong  head  parallel  to  the  staff,  and  cut  in  a  peculiar  form.  This 
worth  mentioning,  as  presenting  a  remarkable  instance  of  the  permanency 
of  oriental  customs ;  for  this  very  stick,  precisely  in  the  same  form,  appears 
in  the  hands  of  figures  sculptured  on  Theban  temples."  (H.  B.  E.,  i.  93.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.   Eejoice  in  our 

security,  ease,  and  expedition  in  travelling.  2.  We  are  ali  travellers: 
(a)  as  to  time—fr.  youth  to  age ;  (b)  as  to  place — fr.  cradle  to  grave  ;  (c)  as 
to  circumstances — fr.  wealth  to  poverty,  or  the  contrary  ;  (d)  as  to  mind — 
fr.  ignorance  to  knowledge;  (e)  as  to  character — improving,  or  otherwise; 
(/)  as  to  rleafimj — to  heaven  or  hell.  3.  We  need  a  guide  who  will  cheer, 
sustain,  protect,  direct  us  on  the  way.  4.  God  the  only  safe  Guide  for 
the  youthful  traveller  (Jer.  iii.  4  ;  Ps.  xxv.  9,  xxxi.  3,  xxxii.  8;  Is.  Iviii.  11). 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  We  are  rapidly  travelling  to  the  grave; 
are  we  also  travelling  to  holiness  and  heaven  ?  2.  Are  we  walking  through 
life  as  directed  bv  our  own  heart  and  mind,  or  by  the  Word,  Spirit,  and 
providence  of  God  ?  3.  The  journey  will  soon  be  over ;  have  we  a  good 
hope  that  it  will  end  well  ? 


56 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Money. 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Social 


I.  Historical. — M.  first  named  as  medium  of  trade,  1860  B.C. 
(Ge.  xxiii.  9,  13,  15,  16).  In  profane  hist.,  coinage  of  M.  is  ascribed 
to  Lydians.      The  Komans   (269  B.C.)   coined  it  in  the  temple  of 

ixmo-Moneta :  hence  the  word  money. 
[A.-S.  mynet,  money ;  Ger.,  munze ;  Lat., 
moneta — moneo,  to  remind  (to  coin  =  to 
invent)  ]  M.  was  made  of  dif.  ores,  and 
even  of  leather  and  other  articles,  both  in 
ana  and  mod.  times.  Made  of  pasteboard 
by  Hollanders  so  late  as  1574.  "  Making 
allowance  lor  coins  sent  abroad,  or  used  as 
metal,  the  M.  of  Britain  is  calculated  at — gold, 
70,000,000  ;  silver  and  copper,  12,000,000  ; 
notes,  38,000,000;  in  all  120,000,000."— 
Roman  Coin.  (Chambers's  Ency.) 

II.  Money  mentioned  in  Bible.  Reduced  to  our  standard, 
the  following  is  a 

TABLE  OP  THE  VALUE  OF  SCRIPTURE  COINS,  ETC. 


1.200|     120   |      60   |  Maneh  .        .        6  1G  10-5 
RO.ono  I  6.000  |  3,000  I   50  I  Talent .    342    3    9 


Daric   (1   Ch.  xxi 
trans  "dram' 
Gol'j  shekel    . 
Ooio  talent      . 


Mite 
2  I  Farthing  (quadrant) 
8  1      4  '  Farthing  (assario'i) 
80  I    40  i  In  1  Penny  (denariut— drachma) 
160  I    80    20      2    n  dra"hma 
321)  I  160  |  40  |    4  i    2  |  Stater=Shekel 


000  | 
0  0  0  J 


Mina,  or  pound  ,326 

or, 
Ace.  to  some       .413 


III.  Descriptive.— The  silver  and  gold  (Ge.  xiii.  2)  may  be  traced 
to  Egypt  (xii.  16).  Egyptian  monuments  show  that  this  M.  was  inform  of 
rings,  payment  in  wh.  was  made  by  weight.  Prob.  the  gift  of  Abimelech 
(xx.  16)  was  weighed,  as  also  the  price  of  Machpelah  (xxiii.  16,  17,  19). 
Fr.  the  Heb.  word  kedtah  used  here  (and  Job  xlii.  11)  =  lamb,  it  is  prob. 
that  the  weights  were  shaped  like  a  lamb.  [Egyptians,  etc.,  had  weights  in 
forms  of  lions,  bulls,  etc.]  Weighed  money  is  oft.  mentioned  (Ge  xlii. 
25,  27,  35,  xliii.  12,  15,  18,  21-23).  Besides  this,  the  shekel  was  a  measure 
of  weight.'  On  return  fr.  captivity,  coined  m.  is  mentioned  (Ezra  ii.  69, 
viii.  27).  Aft.  Jewish  rulers  coined  m.  for  themselves.  In  the  n.  t.  cer- 
tain coins,  Gk.  or  Rom.,  are  mentioned. 

IV.  Bible  References.— Precious  metals  (q.v.)  used  as  (Ge.  xiii.  2  *> 
Nu.  xxii.  18).  Brass  by  Rom.  (Mat.  x.  9}  originally  stamped  with  image 
of  lamb  (Ge.  xxiii.  15,  cf.  xxxiii.  19,  marg.) ;  of  Roms.  with  image  of  Ca?sar, 
see  above  (Mat.  xxii.  20,  21).  Estimated  by  weight  (Ge.  xxiii.  16  ;  Jer. 
xxxii.  10).  Money  mentioned  :  Talent,  gold  (1  K.  ix.  14  ;  2  K.  xxii.  33) ; 
silver  CI  K-  xvi.  24  ;  2  K.  v.  22,  23).     Shekel,  silver  (Jud.  xvii.  10  v  2  K. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  57 

Life.]  if  AX. VERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Money. 

xv.  20) ;  half-shekel,  belah  (Ex.  xxx.  15)  ;  third  of  shekel  (Neh.  x.  32) ; 
fourth  of  shekel  (1  S.  ix.  8).  Gerah  (Nu.  iii.  47).  Pound  (Lu.  xix.  13). 
Penny  (Mat.  xx.  2  ;  Mk.  vi.  37).  Farthing  (Mat.  v.  26;  Lu.  xii.  6).  Mile 
(Mk.  xii.  42  ;  Lu.  xxi.  2).  Value  regulated  by  sanctuary  standard  (Lev. 
v.  Ifi  ;  Nu.  iii.  47)  ;  used  among  traders  (Ge.  xxiii.  16).  Usury  forbidden 
(Lev.  xxv.  37).  Money  changing  (Mat.  xxi.  12;  Jo.  ii.  15).  Given  fur 
lands  (Ge.  xxiii.  9;  Ac.  iv.  37)  ;  slaves  (Ge.  xxxvii.  28  ;  Ex.  xxi.  21)  ; 
merchandise  (Ge.  xliii.  12  ;  Deut.  ii.  6)  ;  tribute  (2  K.  xxiii.  33  ;  Mat. 
xxii.  19)  ;  wages  (Ezra  iii.  7  ;  Mat.  xx.  2  ;  Jas.  v.  4) ;  offerings  (2  K.  xii. 
7-9  ;  Neh.  x.  32)  ;  alms  (1  S.  ii.  36  ;  Ac.  iii.  3,  6)  ;  presentation  (Job 
xlii.  11). 

V.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  h.  powerful  and 
useful  (Eee.  vii.  12 ;  x.  19).  2.  Love  of,  root  of  all  evil  (1  Tim.  vi.  10). 
m.  facilitates  exchanges  ;  wheel  of  circulation  and  distribution.  Supplies 
wants,  gratifies  desires.  Individual  faculties  developed,  mutual  dependence 
promoted ;  useful  in  ministries  of  benevolence.  To  hoard  m.  is  to  abuse 
it.  Wealth  should  not  be  basis  of  social  preference,  m.  cannot  make  a 
gentleman.  A  leper  with  jewels,  still  a  leper.  Three  evil  ways  of  getting 
M. :  (1)  By  consecrating  the  whole  of  one's  time  and  energy  to  its  pursuit. 
(2)  To  sacrifice  future  welfare  of  soul,  cultivation  of  mind,  happiness,  and 
character.  (3)  To  get  it  by  tempting,  deceiving,  and  oppressing  others. 
(8.  Martin.) 

VI.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  The  gold  and  silver  are  the  Lord's.  He 
givesvpower  to  get  wealth.  2.  Money  should  be  got  honestly,  and  spent 
wisely.  3.  Do  not  mistake  money  for  happiness.  Many  rich  men  very 
wretched,  and  poor  men  happy.  4.  Money  not  a  criterion  by  which  to 
judge  of  moral  character.  The  good  and  the  wicked  are  found  both  among 
the  rich  and  the  poor.  "  By  doing  good  with  his  money,  a  man  as  it  were 
stamps  the  image  of  God  upon  it,  and  makes  it  pass  current  for  the  mer- 
chandise of  heaven."  (Eutledi/e.)  "A  wise  man  should  have  money  in 
his  head,  but  not  in  his  heart"  (Swift.)  "  Those  who  think  that  money 
will  do  anything,  may  be  suspected  of  doing  anything  for  money." 

[Addenda. — Athelstan  first  enacted  regulations  for  the  gov.  of  mint,  ab. 
a.d.  928.  There  were  several  provincial  mints,  under  control  of  that  of 
London.  Henry  II.  is  said  to  have  instituted  a  mint  at  Winchester 
(1125).  Stow  says  the  mint  was  kept  by  Italians,  the  English  being 
ignorant  of  the  art  of  coining  (7  Edw.  I.,  1278).  The  operators  were 
formed  into  a  corporation  by  charter  of  Edw.  III.  The  first  entry  of 
gold  brought  to  the  mint  for  coinage  occurs  18  Edw.  III.  (1343).  Tin 
was  coined  by  Chas.  II.  (1684),  and  gun-metal  and  pewter  by  his  successor, 
James.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  was  warden  of  the  mint  (1699-1727),  during 
which  time  the  debased  coin  was  called  in,  and  new  issued,  at  the  loss  of 
the  government.  Between  1806  and  1810,  grants  amounting  to  £262,000 
were  made  by  Parliament  for  the  erection  of  the  present  structure,  wh. 
was  completed  in  1813,  but  was  injured  by  fire  Oct.  31,  1815.] 


53 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Commerce.] 


X'AAWERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Social 


I.  Bible  References.— Barter  (1  K.  v.  8,  cf.  11);  purchase  (x. 

.28,  29).     Called:  trade  [lit.  a  trodden  way  ;  way  of  life.     A.-S.,  trued — 
tredan;  Ice.,  troda,  to  tread]  (Ge.  xxxiv.  10;  Mat.  xxv.  16) ;  traffic 

[lit.,  trade 


Egyptian  Balances. 

iv.  13).  Articles  called  merchandize  [Fr.,  marchdndize — man-hand, 
a  merchant]  (Ez.  xxvi.  12;  Mat.  xxii.  5);  wares  [provisions:  A.-S., 
warn;  GeT.,waare;  Ice  ,  vara']  (Jer.  x.  17  ;  Ez.  xxvii.  16 ;  Jon.  i.  5). 

Persons  tailed  merchants 
[one  icho  trades  ;  Fr., 
marchand;  L.,  mercans, 
antis;  pr.  p.  of  mercor, 
to  trade]  (Ge.  xxxviii.  18; 
Pr.  xxxi.  24) ;  chapman 
[one  who  buys  or  sells  ; 
A.-S.,  ceap-mah  (cheap, 
orig.  good  <  heap  =  a  good 
bargain;  A.-S.,  ceap,  a  sale;  A.-S.,  ceapan ;  Ice.,  kaupa,  to 
buy)]  (2  Ch.  ix.  14) ;  traffickers  (Is.  xxiii.  8) ;  sellers,  etc.  (xxiv.  2). 
Carried  on  in  fairs  [feast,  fast,  holiday ;  advantage  taken  of  such 
for  trade.  Old  Fr.,  feire,  fr.  Lat.  feria,  or  feria,  holidays;  fcs'ux, 
festive]  (Ez.  xxvii.  12,  19;  Mat.  xi.  16);  by  caravans,  q.v.  (Job 
vi.  19;  Is.  xxi.  13);  ships  (2  Ch.  viii.  18,  ix.  21).  Increased  wealth 
(2  Ch.  ix.  20-22;  Pr.  xxxi.  14-18;  Ez.  xxviii.  4,  5).  Carried 
on  by  Ishmaelites  (Ge.  xxxvii.  25);  Egyptians  (Ge.  xlii.  2-34); 
Ethiopians  (Is.  xlv.  14) ;  Ninevites  (Nah.  iii.  16);  Syrians  (Ez.  xxvii. 
16,  18);  people  of  Tarshish  (25);  Jews  (15);  Tyrians  (xxviii.  5, 
13,  10).  Jewish  c. :  Laws  (Lev.  xix.  36,  37.  xxv.  14,  17) ;  alt.  settle- 
ment in  Canaan  (Ge.  xlix.  13,  cf.  Jud.  v.  17);  under  Solomon  (1  K. 
ix.  26,  27;  2  Ch.  ix.  21);  checked  in  Jehoshaphat's  time  (1  Iv.  xxii. 


MEASURES. 
Liquids  reduced  to  Eng.  W  itie  Measure.   |  cal.|  pts. 

Cauh 
1-8  |  Loq 
o  3  |      4  |  Cab 
IB  |     12  |      3|Hin 

0625 

0     0-833 
O     3-333 

2     4 
7     4 
7  5      5 

3 1  |    24  |      G  |      2  j  Seah 

(Hi  |    72      is  |      6|      3  |  Bath.orEphan 

Win  '  720  I  l«o  1    60  1    20  1    in  '  Homer 

TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


59 


Life.] 


MAXXEKS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Merchandise. 


4S,  49}.  Success  in,  led  to  pride  (Ez.  xxviii.  2,  16-18).  Evil  practices 
(Pr.  xx.  14;  Ez.  xxii.  13;  IIos.  xii.  7).  Abuses  of  denounced  (Is. 
xxiii.  11;  Ez.  vii.  12,  13,  xxvii.  32-3(i,  xxviii.  1(3-18).  Articles  of 
C. :  Chariots,  horses  (1  K.  x.  29)  ;  gold  (2  Ch.  viii.  IS);  ivory  (ix.  21) ; 
land  (Ge.  xxiii.  13- 1(5;  Ku.  iv.  3);  linen  (1  K.  x.  2S);  oil,  corn, 
timber  (1  K.  v.  6,  8,  11)  ;  silver  (2  Ch.  ix.  21)  ;  wine  (ii.  15) ;  blue 
cloth,  brass,  corn,  cattle,  clothes'  chests,  harness,  embroidirv,  honey, 
horses,  ivory,  metals,  oil,  gems,  purple,  wool,  wine     (Ez.  xxvii.) 


MEASURES. 
Dry.     Reduced  to  English  Corn  Measure. 

pecks. 
0  "~ 
0 
0 

1 

3 
16 
32 

1  £aL 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

I    pints. 
"  0-1416 

28333 

5-1 

1 

3 

0 

1 

Gacual 

20  |  Cab 

36  |   1-8  |  Omer,  or  Gomer 

L20  |      6  |   3-3  |  Seah 

360  |     18  |     10  |      3  |  Ephah 

1,800  |    90  |    50  |     15  |      5  |  Lethech 

3,000  |  ISO  |  100  |     30  |     10  |       2     |  Homer 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—  Advantages  of  c. 

Multiplying  the  comforts  of  Hie  by  adding  to  home-produce  that  of  other 
lands.  Promoting  industry;  surplus  home  manufactures  find  a  market 
abroad.  Provoking  competition  among  men  and  nations ;  the  best  and 
cheapest  goods  secure  the  widest  market.  Exciting  an  interest  in  foreign 
exploration.  Increasing  knowledge.  Developing  home  and  foreign  re- 
sources. Promoting  peace,  by  demonstrating  advantages  of  national 
intercommunications.  Moral  aspects,  etc.  Commercial  morality.  Buy  tho 
truth.     The  heavenly  meT-chantman  seeks  goodly  pearls. 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Be  honest  and  truthful  in  trade  (Mic.  vi. 
10-12;  Pr.  xvi.  11,  xx.  10,  23).  Diligent  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit, 
serving  the  Lord. 


TABLE  OF  WEIGH! S. 

1      grains. 

This  was  the  silver  talent 
The   gold  t.  was  of  doul  le 
weight  =  loo  inanehs,  ea   ot 
wh.  =  100shekels;  hut  10,000 
shekels  of  gold  T.  =  132  grns. 
each      Therefore  ihe  gold  T. 
=1,320,000  grains. 

Gerah 

10  |  Bekah 
20  |         2  |  Shekel 
1.200  |      120  |        60  |  Maneh 

11 

110 

220 

13,200 

60,000  |  6,000  |  3,000  |     50     | 

Talent 

660,000 

TABLK  OF  MEASCllr 

-S  OF  LENGTH.                          feet.            inches. 

Elicit 

0        .        0.012 

0         .        3  684 

0        .      10944 

'.'....        1                9'8S8 

's  red        !!'...      10        •      11  3-'s 

VI  ,      3  |  Spnn 

•24  |       H|      2  |  Cnr.it 

9'i  |     24  |      S  |      4    1  Fathom 

.44  I     :>;       U|      ii|    IS    I  Fzoldel 

10-  i     JS  •     l.i         8    1      •-'    1      1  3    1 

A>ab  pole 

1!>0    |   4-0   !    )    •>  1     Sll          -JO     |    l-:l     | 

lo    I   Me 

-■urine;  line 

60  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Banquets. J  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Social 

I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Occasions  :  Weaning  of  Children  (Gc. 
xxi.  S).  Weddings  (xxix.  22;  Jud.  xiv.  10;  Jo.  ii.  1-11).  Birth- 
days (Ge.  xl.  20  ;  Job  i.  4  ;  Mat.  xiv.  6).  Sheepsluaring  (I  S.  xxv. 
2,  36;  2  S.  xiii.  23 -29)  ;  harvest  (Ru.  iii. 

2,  3,  7;  Is.  ix.  3);  vintage  (Jud.  ix.  27); 
funerals  (2  S.  iii.  35  $  Jer.  xvi.  7  ;  Ez. 
xxiv.  17  ;  Hos.  ix.  4) ;  hospitable  treat- 
ment   of  visitors   (Ge.  xviii.  2-8,  xix. 

3,  xxxi.  27  ;  2  S.  iii.  20,  xii.  4 ;  2  K. 
vi.  22,  23;  Lu.  v.  29,  xv.  23,  24). 
2.  Hour  :  Usual  B.  were  held  in  the 
evening.      Beginning  early   in  day  is 

Keclining  at  Meals.  blamed    (Ecc.    X.    16;    Is.    v.    11,   12). 

3.  Preparations:  Invitations  sent  by  servants  (Pr.  ix.  3;  Mat. 
xxii.  3);  food,  etc.,  got  ready  (Pr.  ix.  2;  Is.  xxii.  13;  Mat.  xxii.  4; 
all  being  ready,  invitation  repeated.  This  custom  still  com.,  "not 
very  strictly  among  the  com.  people,  nor  in  cities  where  •western 
manners  have  greatly  modified  the  oriental;  but  in  Lebanon  it  still 
prevails.  If  a  sheikh  or  emeer  invites,  he  always  sends  a  ser- 
vant to  call  you  at  the  proper  time.  This  servant  often  repeats 
the  very  formula  mentioned  in  Lu.  xiv.  17:  "  Tefuddulu,  el  'asha 
hader " — "  Come,  for  the  supper  is  ready."  The  fact  that  this 
custom  is  mainly  confined  to  the  wealthy  and  to  the  nobility  is  in 
strict  agreement  with  the  parable,  where  the  certain  man  who  made 
the  great  supper,  and  bade  many,  is  supposed  to  be  of  this  class.  It  is 
true  now,  as  then,  that  to  refuse  is  a  high  insult  to  the  maker  of  the 
feast."  (T.  L.  B.,  125.)  ■  4.  Guests  had  to  wear  fitting  dress  (Ecc. 
ix.  8  ;  Mat.  xxii.  11,  12),  wh.,  sometimes,  were  provided  by  givers  of 
feast,  esp.  by  sovereigns  (2  K.  x.  22).  They  were  received  with  a 
kiss  (Lu.  vii.  45)  ;  if  they  had  come  far  their  feet  were  bathed  (Ge. 
xviii.  4,  xix.  2,  xliii.  24);  they  were  perfumed  (Ps.  xxiii.  5;  Am. 
vi.  6;  Lu.  vii.  38,  46;  Jo.  xii.  3).  5.  At  THE  TABLE:  Attitude: 
anciently  the  Hebs.  sat;  afterwards  the  custom  of  reclining  (see  ad) 
was  introduced.  Guests  arranged  ace.  to  rank  and  respect  to  be 
shown  them  (Ge.  xliii.  33  ;  1  S.  ix.  22 ;  Mk.  xii.  39  ;  Lu.  xiv.  7-10). 
Those  specially  honoured  had  food  selected  for  them,  both  as  to 
quality  and  quantity  (Ge.  xliii.  34  ;  1  S.  ix.  23,  24).  6.  Charac- 
teristics, etc.  Grandeur  of  B.  shown  in  number  of  guests, 
quality  and  qu  mtity  of  viands,  and  wines.  They  were  often  carried 
to  an  excess,  wh.  provoked  the  censure  of  prophets  and  apostles 
(2  S.  xix.  35;  Is.  v.  11,  12,  22;  Am.  vi.  3-6;  Mat.  xiv.  6;  Rom. 
xiii.  13;  1  Pet.  iv.  3;  2  Pet.  ii.  13).  Wedding  B.  lasted  a  week 
(Ge.  xxix.  27,  28).  Royal  B.  much  longer.  B.  of  Ahasuerus  lasted  6 
mo.,  and  was  finished  by  special  B.  of  7  dys.  (Est.  i.  3-5).  At  this  B. 
the  sexes  were  separate  (9).  At  Belshazzar's  B.,  his  wives,  etc.,  were 
present  (Dan.  v.  2).     In  N.  T.,  women  were  present  (Lu.  vii.  37,  38 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACTTERS.  CI 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Banquets. 

Jo.  ii.  1-5),  but  oft.  waited  on  guests  (xii.  2).  "The  custom  of  re- 
clining at  meals  gave  an  opportunity  for  anointing  a  person's  head" 
(3).  It  also  explains  how  the  head  of  one  was  close  upon  the  breast 
of  him  who  was  immediately  above  him  (xiii.  23).     {T.  J).  A'.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Use  of  b.  Promoting 

good  feeling  amongst  neighbours  and  friends.  "  It  is  not  the  quantity 
of  the  meat,  but  the  cheerfulness  of  the  guests,  which  make  the  feast." 
{Clarendon.)  Hence  they  are  often  useful  in  connection  with  philan- 
thropic and  patriotic  events.  Peter  Pindar  [nom  do  plume  of  Dr.  Wolcot) 
says : — 

"  The  turnpike-road  to  people's  hearts,  I  find, 
Lies  through  their  mouths  ;  or  I  mistake  mankind." 

2.  Abuses  of  b.  When  thoy  are  carried  to  excess,  and  promote  gluttony, 
drunkenness,  and  debauchery.  "  Where  there  is  no  peace  there  is  no 
feast."  {Clarendon.)  The  riotous  feast  of  Belshazzar  prevented  his  safe 
keeping  of  his  capital ;  and  that  of  Ahasuerus  ended  in  the  disgrace  of 
his  queen,  and  the  greater  disgrace  of  the  king  and  court.  3.  b.  as  an  ill.  of 
heaven.  "  Heaven  is  represented  as  a  b.,  and  much  of  its  comfort  must 
flow  fr.  a  knowledge  of  the  guests.  Imagine  yourself  at  a  fea*t  where, 
though  you  have  known  many  who  surround  the  table,  you  are,  by  some 
obliviousness  of  mind,  ignorant  of  them  all ;  the  incertitude  in  wh.  you 
are  placed  robs  you  of  much  of  your  joy,  for  you  are  alone;  but  suppose  the 
mist  rolls  away,  and  that  you  recognise  in  the  countenances  before  you 
the  old  familiar  faces  of  friends  beloved ;  at  once  you  become  conscious 
of  a  felicity  of  wh.  you  would  otherwise  be  deprived.  So  it  will  be  in 
eternity.  Sitting  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  you  will  intuitively  recognise  as  your  companions  those  who 
were  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  and  be  reunited  to  those  who  divided 
your  cares,  or  doubled  vour  joys,  in  this  world  of  mingled  troubles  and 
delights."     {Baxter.) 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Beware  of  gluttony,  or  of  pampering 
the  palate.  "  Eat  to  live  ; "  do  not  "  live  to  eat."  2.  Godliness  with 
contentment  is  great  gain  (1  Tim.  vi.  8).  "A  contented  mind  has  a 
continual  feast."  A  little  with  love,  better  than  much  with  envy,  strife, 
and  pride  (Pr.  xv.  17).  3.  In  feasting,  remember  the  poor  who  need 
bread  (Lu.  xiv.  12).  4.  Home  meals  better  than  great  banquets  at  strange 
tables : — 

"  I  have  tasted  all  life's  pleasures,  I  have  snatch'd  at  all  its  joys, 
The  dance's  merry  measures,  and  the  revel's  festive  noise ; 
Though  wit  flash'd  bright  the  livelong  night,  and  flow'd  the  ruby  tide, 
I  sigh'd  for  thee,  I  sigh'd  for  thee,  my  own  fireside  !  "  {D.F.  McCarthy.) 

5.  Prepare  for  the  b.  in  heaven.  An  invitation  is  given,  and  a  robe  is 
provided.  Intercourse,  as  well  as  concourse,  will  increase  the  enjoyment 
of  the  guests. 


Vol.  II.— 5 


C2 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Hospitality.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Social 


I.  Descriptive.— [Lat.,  hospitium — hosjies,  a  stranger  who  is 
treated  as  a  guest;  one  who  treats  another  as  his  guest.  Hencet 
Hospice    (pron.   hos'pes),  an    Alpine   convent  where   travellers    are 

treated  as  guests.]  H.  is  largely  ill.  in  o.  t. 
history.  Law  of  Moses  enjoined  n.  (Lev. 
xix.  33,  34;  Deu.  xiv.  29);  also  enforced  in 
N.  T.,  where  it  is  insisted  upon  as  a  needful 
qualification  for  certain  offices  (Mat.  x.  40-42, 
xxv.  35,  43;  Eo.  xii.  13;  1  Tim.  iii.  2;  Tit. 
i.  8;  Heb.  xiii.  2  ;  1  Pet.  iv.  9  ;  3  Jo.  5).  The 
ban  under  wh.  Christians  were  laid  rendered 
it  specially  needful.     Arabs  of  desert,  to  this 

"-j- ■— ^ — -     dav,   noted   for   H.      (Travellers   give   many 

Servant  waiting.         illustrations  of  it:  see  examples  in  P.  B.  I., 
i.  99-105,  and  Buckingham's  Travels  in  Syria,  384.) 

II.  Bible  References.— H.  commanded  (Ro.  xii.  13;  1  Pet.  iv. 
9)  ministers  (1  Tim.  iii.  2;  Tit.  i.  8),  as  test  of  character  (1  Tim. 
v.  10).  To  he  shown  to  :  strangers  (Heb.  xiii.  2) ;  poor  (Is.  lviii.  7  ; 
Lu.  xiv.  13);  enemies  (2  K.  vi.  22,  23;  Ro.  xii.  20).  Encouraged 
(Lu.  xiv.  14).  Examples  of:  Melchizedek  (Ge.  xiv.  18);  Abraham 
(xviii.  3-8) ;  Lot  (xix.  2,  3)  ;  Laban  (xxiv.  31);  Jethro  (Ex.  ii.  20) ; 
Manoah  (Jud.  xiii.  15);  Samuel  (1  S.  ix.  22);  David  (2  S.  vi.  19); 
Barzillai  (xix.  32);  Shunamite  (2  K.  iv.  8);  Nehemiah  (Neh.  v.  17); 
Job  (Job  xxxi.  17,  32);  Zaccheus  (Lu.  xix.  6);  Samaritans  (Jo. 
iv.  40) ;  Lydia  (Ac.  xvi.  15);  Jason  (xvii.  7);  Mnason  (xxi.  16); 
Melitana  (xxviii.  2);  Publius  (xxviii.  7);  Gaius  (3  Jo.  5,  6). 

III.  Illustrations,  etc. — "There  is  an  emanation  fx.  the  heart  in 
genuine  h.  which  cannot  be  described,  but  is  immediately  felt,  and  puts 
the  stranger  at  once  at  his  ease."  ( W.  Irving.)  "The  observance  of  h., 
even  towards  an  enemy,  is  inculcated  by  a  Hindoo  author  with  great 
elegance :  '  The  sandal-tree  imparts  its  fragrance  even  to  the  axe  that 
hews  it.'  "  "So  sacred  did  Charles  V.  hold  the  rights  of  h.,  that  once, 
when  a  swallow  had  built  her  nest  upon  his  tent,  and  his  camp  was  about 
to  be  moved,  he  ordered  the  tent  to  remain  standing  till  the  young  should 
have  fled !  There  is  hardly  any  fact  in  his  life  wh.  does  more  honour  to 
his  heart."  "A  Bedawee,  having  ohtained  entrance  surreptitiously  into 
the  house  of  a  merchant  of  Mecca,  made  up  a  convenient  bale  of  goods  to 
decamp  with,  and  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  the  premises,  when  he 
happened,  in  the  dark,  to  strike  his  foot  against  something  hard  on  the 
floor.  Thinking  it  might  be  an  article  of  value,  he  picked  it  up  and  put 
it  to  his  tongue,  when,  to  his  equal  mortification  and  disappointment,  he 
found  it  to  be  a  lump  of  rock  salt.  .  Having  thus  tasted  the  salt  of  the 
owner,  his  avarice  gave  way  to  his  respect  for  the  laws  of  h.,  and  throwing 
down  bis  booty,  he  withdrew  empty-handed."  "Some  held,  when  h.  died 
in  England,  she  gave  her  last  groan  among  the  yeomen  of  Kent.     And 

still  at  our  yeomen's  tahles  you  shall  have  as  many  joints  as  dishes 

Here  you  have  that  which  in  itself  is  good  made  better  by  the  store  of  it, 


TOPICS    FOR  TEACHERS.  (33 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Hospitality. 

and  best  by  the  welcome  to  it."  [T.  Fuller.)  The  ancients  were  famous 
lor  observing  the  rites  and  obligations  of  H.  See  Homer's  Iliad,  vi.  215- 
233.    And  in  another  place  he  says: — 

"  Full  in  the  midst  the  polish'd  table  shines, 
Ami  the  bright  gobhts,  rich  with  generous  wines; 
Now  each  partakes  the  feast,  the  wine  prepares, 
Portions  the  food,  and  each  the  portion  shares." 

A  poor  weaver  who  once  had  a  loaf  of  bread  given  to  him  in  Devizes, 
having  acquired  afterwards  a  fortune  in  Coventry,  in  remembrance  of  that 
event  bequeathed  by  will  a  sum  of  money  in  'rust,  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
t'  ibuting,  on  the  anniversary  of  the  day,  a  halfpenny  loaf  to  every  person 
in  the  town ;  and  to  every  traveller  that  should  pass  through  the  town,  a 
penny  loaf.  Any  traveller  passing  the  college  of  St.  Cross,  at  Winchester, 
on  knocking  at  the  gate  and  making  application,  has  a  pitcher  of  ale  and 
a  small  loaf  brought  out  to  him  for  his  refreshment. 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  What  an  inhospi- 
table reception  the  world  gave  to  Jesus !  At  His  birth,  "no  room  in  the 
inn;"  afterwards,  "nowhere  to  lay  His  head."  2.  Many  deny  Him 
house-room  and  heart-room  now.  3.  The  disciples  entreated  Him  to  stay 
with  them ;  and  He  was  knoivn  to  them.  Zaccheus  received  Him  as  his 
guest,  and  He  took  salvation  with  Him.  4.  As  we  hope  to  be  hospitably 
entertained  in  heaven,  we  should  welcome  the  stranger  here ;  for  we  are 
strangers  and  pilgrims,  and  yonder  is  our  eternal  rest. 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Moderate  circumstances  do  not  absolve  us 
from  duty  of  h. 

"Abundance  was  never  my  lot, 
But  out  of  the  trifle  that's  given, 
That  no  curse  may  alight  on  my  cot, 
I'll  distribute  the  bounty  of  heaven."     {Bloomjield.) 

2.  Treat  the  host  respectfully,  that  the  guest  may  be  received  kindly.  So 
regard  God  that  He  may  welcome  you  at  last.  3.  This  is  God's  world ; 
we  are  His  guests.     How  do  we  respect  our  Divine  Host  ? 

[Addenda. — h.  was  considered  inviolate  and  sacred  by  the  Gks.  and 
Roms.  Reciprocal  h.  became  hereditary  among  Gks.,  and  the  friendship 
thus  contracted  was  not  less  binding  than  the  ties  of  blood.  Persons 
betw.  whom  a  regard  had  been  cemented  by  the  intercourse  of  h.  were 
provided  with  some  particular  mark.  wh„  being  handed  down  fr.  father  to 
eon,  established  a  friendship  and  alliance  betw.  the  families  for  several 
generations.  This  mark,  wh.  was  equivalent  to  the  tessera  /wspitalis  of 
the  Latins,  was  sometimes  an  astragal,  prob.  of  lead,  wh.,  being  cut  in 
halves,  one  half  was  kept  by  the  host,  and  the  other  by  his  guest.  On 
future  occasions,  they,  or  their  descendants  by  whom  the  symbol  was 
recognised,  gave  or  received  h.  on  comparing  the  two  tallies.  The  Roms. 
cut  a  tessera  in  two,  as  signs  of  h.  Plautus  (Pccnulas)  notices  this  custom, 
and  represents  Hanno  of  Carthage  as  retaining  a  symbol  of  H.  reciprocally 
with  AntManus  of  Calvdon;  Antidanus  being  dead,  his  son  Agorastocles 
acknowledges  the  symbol  as  a  pledge  of  their  mutual  h.] 


64  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


Magistrates.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [.Civil 

I.  Descriptive. — Public  officials  (exclusive  of  king,  officers  of 
palace,  and  military  officers)  dif.  as  to  title  and  duty  at  various 
periods.  I.  Old  Test.  :  Two  periods.  1.  Theocracy,  or  immediate 
government  by  God.  (1)  Time:  fr.  exodus  to  kings  (Ex.  xix.  4-6, 
cf.  1  S.  viii.  7).  (2)  Founded  on  :  right  of  redemption  (Ex.  vi.  6,  7 ; 
2  S.  vii.  23;  Is.  xliii.  3);  right  of  covenant  (Deu.  xxvi.  17-19). 
(3)  Consisted  in  Sis  making  laws  (Ex.  xx.-xxiii. ;  Deu.  v.  22,  23) ; 
guiding  the  nation  (Ex.  xl.  36,  37;  Nu.  ix.  17-23);  declaring  war 
(Ex.  xvii.  14-16;  Nu.  xxxi.  1,  2;  Jos.  vi.  2,  3,  viii.  1);  appointing 
civil  officers  (Ex.  iii.  10;  Nu.  xxvii.  18,  20);  and  ecclesiastical  (Ex. 
xxviii.  1,  xl.  12-15);  being  head  Judge  (Nu.  ix.  8-11,  xv.  34,35, 
xxvii.  5-11);  right  of  mercy  (xiv.  20;  Deu.  ix.  18-20);  distribution 
of  land  (Jos.  xiii.  1-7);  exacting  tribute  (Ex.  xxxv.  4-29;  Lev. 
xxvii.  30;  Deu.  xvi.  16,  xxvi.  1-4).  (4)  Marked  by  tabernacle  as 
royal  residence  (Ex.  xxv.  8;  Lev.  xxvi.  11,  12;  Shekinah  (Nu.  ix. 
15,  16).  (5)  Israel's  guilt  in  rejecting  (1  S.  xii.  17).  Under  the 
Theocracy,  the  princes  of  the  congregation,  or  heads  of  tribes,  had  a 
certain  power:  represented  the  tribes  in  council;  united  with  leader 
in  making  treaties  (Jos.  ix.  15).  The  judges,  heads  of  houses,  "pa- 
triarchal seniors"  (Job  xxix.  7-9);  in  Egypt,  the  only  judges  (Ex. 
ii.  14) ;  afterwards  influential  (Nu.  vii.  2,  10,  11,  xvii.  6,  xxxiv.  18  ; 
Jos.  xxii.  14) ;  Moses  took  their  place,  and  app.  official  judges,  prob. 
fr.  former  class  (Ex.  xviii. ;  Deu.  i.  15,  16;  comp.  also  Jos.  iv. 
2,  4,  xxii.  14,  xxiv.  1  ;  Deu.  xvii.  8-13;  Ex.  xviii.  21,  xxi.  6,  xxii. 
8,  9,  28;  Ps.  lxxxii.  6).  Seventy  elders  (Nu.  xi.  16-25) ;  not  to  be 
confounded  with  Sanhedrim,  the  great  ecclesiastical  council  of  70, 
founded  aft.  captivity.  2.  Kings  [see  State  Officials'].  To  a  great 
extent,  the  same  officials  continued  (1  K.  xii.  1-24  ;  1  Ch.  xxiii.  4, 
xxvi.  29,  et  seq.,  xxviii.  1-21,  xxix.  6),  the  principal  additions  being 
the  officers  of  royal  household ;  among  wh.,  those  who  had  public 
duties  to  discharge  were — 1.  The  royal  counsellors  (1  K.  xii.  6-12; 
1  Ch.  xxvii.  32;  Is.  iii.  3,  xix.  11-13;  Jer.  xxvi.  11).  2.  The  royal 
scribe,  or  secretary  (2  S.  viii.  16,  xx.  24;  1  K.  iv.  3  ;  2  K.  xviii. 
IS,  37;  1  Ch.  xviii.  15;  2  Ch.  xxxii.  8;  Is.  xxxvi.  3;  Est.  iii.  12, 
vi.  1,  x.  2).  3.  The  f^'ophets  were  also  consulted  by  the  kings, 
both  true  (2  S.  vii.  2;  IK.  xxii.  7,  8  ;  2  K.  xix.  2-20,  xxii.  14-20) 
and  false  (1  K.  xviii.  22,  xxii.  6,  cf.  Ex.  vii.  11,  viii.  18;  Dan.  i.  20, 
ii.  2,  v.  8 ;  Jer.  xxvii.  9).  4.  The  priests  also,  the  learned  class, 
naturally  had  place  and  power  (2  S.  viii.  17;  1  Ch.  xviii.  16). 
II.  New  Test.  Palestine,  etc.,  having  passed  under  Roman  rule,  we 
find  the  Roman  titles  of  public  officials.  1 .  Magistrate  [L. ,  magisterius 
— magister,  a  master ;  mag,  rt.  of  L.  magnus;  Gk.,  megas,  great,  akin 
to  Sans,  mah,  great,  lit,  he  that  is  made  great]  (Lu.  xii.  11,  58  = 
rulers) ;  called  strategoi  (Ac.  xvi.  20,  22,  35,  36,  38).  Rom.  colonial 
officers  =  duumviri,  analogous  to,  and  sometimes  claiming  the  more 
venerable  title  of  praetors  [hence  prsetorium  (Mat.  xxvii.  27,  "  com- 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  C5 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Ma-istrates. 

mon  hall,"  "  governor's  house,"  marff.;  Mk.  xv.  16;  Jo.  xviii.  28, 
"  hall  of  judgment/'  "Pilate's  house,"  marg.t  33,  xix.  9;  Ac.  xxiii. 
35,  " Herod's  judgment  hall;"  Phil.  i.  13,  "the  palace,"  "Caesar's 
court,''  man/."]  2.  'Petrarch  [lit.,  the  ruler  of  fourth  part  of  a  pro- 
vince], in  N.  T.  the  title  of  any  governor  (Lu.  iii.  1  ;  Mat.  xiv.  1,  9). 
3.  Proconsul,  annual  appointment;  civil  functions*  without  power 
of  life  and  death.  Sometimes  called  deputy  (Ac.  xiii.  7,  8,  12,  xix. 
38).  4.  Procurator  =  the  Rom.  "  governor  "  of  Judaea  (Mat.  xxvii. 
2,  11,  14  ;  in  Lu.  iii.  1,  A.  v.,  "reign,"  a  kindred  word  used  =  autho- 
rity of  Tiberius).  Pilate  was  procurator;  held  office  at  will  of 
emperor ;  had  power  of  life  and  death.  5.  Ethnarck  (2  Cor.  xi.  32, 
'•governor").  6.  Town  clerk  (Ac.  xix.  35),  keeper  of  records,  public 
re  ider  of  decrees,  president  of  popular  assemblies.  7.  Publican,  a 
firmer  of  taxes ;  i  e.,  he  paid  a  stipulated  sum  to  government,  and 
had  what  he  collected.  Hence,  because  he  was  (1)  the  servant  of 
foreign  power,  (2)  and  often  an  extortioner,  he  was  much  disliked. 
Jews  taking  this  office  were  intensely  hated,  and  classed  with  sinners 
of  worst  kind.  Some,  as  Zaccheus,  called  chief-p.,  i.  e .,  receivers- 
general  of  districts  (Lu  xix.  2) ;  others  called  publicans,  local 
collectors  (Mat.  x.  3  ;  Lu.  v.  27).  Name  became  common  opprobrious 
epithet  (Mat.  v.  46,  47);  hence  the  reproach  (ix.  11,  xi.  19;  Lu. 
xix.  7).  Jewish  p.  were 'laid  under  disabilities — repelled  fr.  public 
worship,  and  fr.  judicial  posts.  Ace.  to  llabbins,  if  a  religious  man 
became  a  p.,  he  was  ejected  fr.  religious  society. 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  God  the  Fountain 
of  authority  (Pr.  viii.  15).  2.  He  is  the  supreme  Head  in  all  matters 
pertaining  to  conscience  and  religion  (Mat.  xxii.  19). 

"  Let  Caesar's  due  be  ever  paid 
To  Caesar  and  his  throne ; 
But  consciences  and  souls  were  made 
To  be  the  Lord's  alone."         ( Watts) 

3.  Rulers  accountable  to  God  for  just  administration  of  affairs,  and  to 
those  whose  affairs  they  administer  (Lu.  xviii.  1-5). 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Duty  to  prav  for,  and  obey,  all  who  are 
in  rightful  authority  (1  Tim.  ii.  1-3;  1  Pet.  ii.  13-15).  2.  Give  support 
and  encouragement  to  those  whose  duty  to  impartially  protect  all.  3.  Treat 
all  officials  with  respect  (2  Pet.  ii.  10,  11 ;  Jude  8).  4.  Submit  yourselves 
to  God,  "  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords." 


[Agenda.— Alderman,  fr.  Sax.,  Ealdorman,  a  senior.  Among  Saxs.  the 
rank  was  conferred  upon  elderly  and  sage,  as  well  as  distinguished  persons. 
During  the  Heptarchy,  a.  were  governors  of  provinces,  up  to  a.d.  882. 
After  the  Danes  were  settled  in  England,  the  title  was  changed  to  that  of 
Earl,  and  Normans  intro.  that  of  Count  =  govs,  of  counties.] 


66  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Causes.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Civil 

I.  Historical. — In  this  country,  conducting  of  trials  regulated 
by  Lothaire  and  Edric,  kings  of  Kent  (a.d.  673-680).  There  is  good 
evidence  of  trials  by  jury  long  before  time  of  Alfred.  "  In  a  cause 
tried  at  Hawarden,*  nearly  100  yrs.  bef.  reign  of  Alfred,  we  have  a 
list  of  12  jurors  ;  confirmed,  too,  by  the  fact  that  the  descendants  of 
one  of  them,  of  the  name  of  Corbyn  of  the  Gate,  still  preserve  their 
name  and  residence  at  a  spot  in  the  parish  yet  called  the  Gate." 
(Phillips,  1861.)  Trial  by  ordeal  was  known  among  the  Greeks  ; 
with  us  it  sig.  "  the  judiciary  determination  of  accusations  for 
criminal  offences  by  fire  and  water."  Intro,  into  England  from  German 
code.  By  Jire  for  upper  classes  of  people  ;  by  water  for  bondsmen 
and  rustics.  One  who  has  pleaded  "  not  guilty "  might  choose 
whether  he  would  put  himself  for  trial  upon  God  and  his  country, 
by  12  men,  or  upon  God  only  ;  and  then  it  was  called  "  the  judgment 
of  God."  The  accused  were  to  pass  barefooted  and  blindfolded  over  9 
red-hot  ploughshares  ;  and  ace.  as  they  escaped,  were  judged  innocent 
or  guilty.  Ordeal  in  use  fr.  Ed.  Confessor  to  Hen.  III.  Abolished 
a.d.  1261.  Orig.  trials  were  very  summary,  save  in  Egypt,  where 
charge  and  reply  were  in  writing.  (Dio.  Sic.,  i.  75,  cf.  Job  xiv.  17.) 
In  Egypt,  the  judge  had  code  of  laws  before  him.  This  still  com. 
in  E.  {cf.  Dan.  vii.  10).  Moses,  under  Divine  directions,  took  steps 
to  secure  impartial  administration  of  justice.  (1)  He  interdicted 
gifts  or  bribes  intended  to  corrupt  judges  (Ex.  xxii.  20,  21,  xxiii  1-9; 
Lev.  xix.  15  ;  Deu.  xxiv.  14,  15).  (2)  He  limited  cap.  and  corporal 
punishments  (Ex.  xxiii.  7;  Deu.  xxiv.  16,  cf.  Dan.  vi.  24).  This  mode 
neglected  by  some  of  the  kings  (2  K.  ix.  26) ;  yet  in  some  cases  the 
form  was  gone  through,  even  when  the  innocent  were  tried,  only  to 
be  condemned  (1  K.  xxi.  7-16).  "  The  disregard  of  justice  which,  in 
such  instances,  was  manifested  by  the  kings,  exerted  a  bad  influence 
on  the  minds  of  the  judges,  and,  as  we  may  learn  fr.  the  repeated. 
complaints  of  the  prophets,  they  were  too  often  guilty  of  partiality 
in  their  decisions."     (J.  B.  A.,  iii.  248.) 

II.  Descriptive. — 1.  Accuser  and  accused  stood  bef.  judge  or 
judges  (Deu.  xxv.  1),  who  sat  with  legs  crossed  on  floor,  on  carpets 
and  cushions.  2.  A  secretary  took  down  accusation,  evidence,  etc. 
(Is.  x.  1  2  ;  Jer.  xxxii.  1-14,  cf.  Mat.  xxv.  33-46).  3.  The  accuser 
(Heb.  Satan  =  the  adversary)  was  called  in  (Zee.  iii.  1-3  ;  Ps.  cix. 
6).  4.  Witnesses  were  sworn  (1  S.  xiv.  37-40  ;  Mat.  xxvi.  63).  Two 
were  necessary  ;  were  examined  separately  in  presence  of  accused 
(Nu.  xxxv.  30  ;  Deu.  xvii.  1-15  ;  Mat.  xxvi.  59).  5.  Writings  were 
received  as  evidence  (Jer.  xxxii.  10-13).  6.  Sometimes  the  lot  was 
resorted  to,  to  decide  dif.  points  (Pr.  xviii.  18),  and  anciently  the 
guilty  were  detected  by  Urim  and  Thummim  (Jos.  vii.  14—24  ;  1  S. 
xiv.)'  7.  Sentence  was  pronounced  soon  aft.  examination,  and 
punishment  was  immediately  inflicted  (Jos.  vii,  22,  et  seq.;  1  S.  xxii. 
18;  IK.  ii.  23). 


TOriCS    FOR   TEACHERS.  67 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Causes. 

III.  Special  Cases—  l.  Water  of  jealousy  (Nu.  v.  Ll-31).  "Fr. 
the  earliest  times,  the  jealousy  of  Eastern  people  has  established  ordeals  for 
the  detection  and  punishment  of  suspected  unchastity  in  wives.  The  practice 
was  deep-routed  as  well  as  universal.  And  it  has  been  thought  _  that  the 
Israelites,  being  strongly  biassed  in  favour  of  such  usages,  this  law  of 
jealousies  '  was  incorporated  amongst  the  other  institutions  of  the  Mosaic 
economy  in  order  to  free  it  fr.  the  idolatrous  rites  \vh.  the  heathens  had 
blended  with  it.'  Viewed  in  this  light,  its  sanction  by  Divine  authority 
in  a  connected  and  improved  form  exhibits  a  proof  at  once  of  the  wisdom 
and  condescension  of  God."  (i>.  ft,  in  loc.)  2.  Judgment  of  Solomon 
(I  K.  hi.  16-28).  A  "keen-sighted  appeal  to  the  instincts  of  nature" 
{S.  J.  ft,  ii.  230).  "Eastern  monarchs,  who  generally  administer  justice 
in  person,  at  least  in  all  cases  of  dif.,  oft.  appeal  to  the  principles  of  human 
nature,  when  they  are  at  a  loss  otherwise  to  find  a  clue  to  the  truth, 
or  see  clearly  through  a  mass  of  conflicting  testimony.  The  mod.  hist,  of 
the  E.  abounds  with  anecdotes  of  judicial  cases  in  wh.  the  decision  given 
was  the  result  of  an  experiment  similar  to  this  of  Solomon  upon  the 
natural  feelings  of  the  contending  parties."   (P.  ft,  in  loc.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions—  1.  Christians  not  to 

go  to  law  with  one  another  (1  Cor.  vi.  1-7,  cf.  Pr.  xx.  22  ;  Mat.  v.  39,  40; 
Lu.  vi.  29  ;  Ro.  xii.  17,  19  ;  1  Thes.  v.  15).  2.  Arbitration  better  than 
litigation.  3.  To  suffer  better  than  to  conquer  (1  Pet.  ii.  19)  ;  to  bear  a 
wrong  is  to  achieve  a  victory  over  self.  4.  Better  to  forgive  than  avenge 
an  injury. 

"  The  quality  of  mercy  is  not  strain'd ; 
It  droppeth  as  the  gentle  rain  from  heaven 
Upon  the  place  beneath  :  it  is  twice  bless'd ; 
It  blesseth  him  that  gives,  and  him  that  takes: 
'Tis  mightiest  in  the  mightiest ;  it  becomes 
The  throned  monarch  better  than  his  crown : 
His  sceptre  shows  the  force  of  temporal  power, 
The  attribute  of  awe  and  majesty, 
Wherein  doth  sit  the  dread  and  fear  of  kings ; 
But  mercy  is  above  this  sceptred  sway, 
It  is  enthroned  in  the  hearts  of  kings, 
It  is  an  attribute  of  God  Himself, 
And  earthly  power  doth  then  show  likest  God's 
When  mercy  seasons  justice.     Therefore,  Jew, 
Though  justice  be  thy  plea,  consider  this, — 
That  in  the  course  of  justice  none  of  us 
Should  see  salvation  :  we  do  pray  for  mercy, 
And  that  same  prayer  doth  teach  us  all  to  render 
The  deeds  of  mercy."  [Shakspeare.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. —  We  have  all  broken  the  law  of  God. 
2.  Satan  our  accuser:  Christ  our  advocate.  3.  We  deserve  death.  He 
has  tasted  death  for  us.  4.  God  is  just,  and  therefore  will  justify  those 
who  believe  in  Jesus. 


G8  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Courts  of  Justice.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Civil 

I.  Descriptive. — 1.  Place.  (1)  In  very  anc.  times,  the  gates 
of  cities,  \vh.  were  well  adapted  for  the  purpose,  since  they  were 
public,  and  used  for  fairs,  places  of  business,  and  promenades 
(Ge.  xxiii.  10,  et  seq.  ;  Deu.  xxi.  19,  xxv.  6,  7  ;  Ru.  iv.  1,  et  seq.; 
Vs.  exxvii.  5  ;  Pr.  xxii.  22,  xxiv.  7).  Aft.  the  captivity,  the  place 
■was  the  same  as  bet'.  (Zee.  viii.  16).  (2)  The  Areopagus — opaos 
Uayos  =  Hill  of  Mars  (Ac.  xvii.  19-34)  had  its  name  fr.  the  legend 
that  Mars  (Ares),  the  god  of  war,  was  tried  there  by  the  other  gods 
on  a  charge  of  murder.  The  council  that  sat  here  was  a  most  anc. 
and  venerable  tribunal,  and  famous  throughout  Greece.  "  It  took 
cognizance  of  criminal  charges,  as  murder,  arson,  wounding;  but  the 
lawgiver  Solon  added  to  its  functions,  and  gave  it  also  censorial  and 

political  powers It  does  not  appear  that  the  apostle  was,  properly 

speaking,  tried ;  rather  he  was  placed  on  this  spot  in  order  that 
what  he  had  to  say  might  be  more  commodiously  heard  \>y  the 
multitude.  Sixteen  stone  steps  fr.  the  market  (ayopa,  or  forum)  vet 
exist,  and  the  stone  seats,  forming  three  sides  of  a  quadrangle,  looking 
southwards,  also  two  blocks,  appropriated,  it  is  believed,  to  the 
accuser  and  the  criminal."  (T.  B.  K.,  art.  Areopagus;  see  also 
Conybeare  and  Hoicson,  Life,  etc.,  of  St.  Paul,  i.  440-444.)  2.  Time. 
Courts  were  held,  and  causes  brought  before  them  for  trial,  in  the 
morning  (Ps.  ci.  8  ;  Jer.  xxi.  12  ;  but  the  latter  text  can  hardly  be 
alleged  as  sufficient  authority  for  this).  Not  lawful  to  try  causes  of  a 
capital  nature  in  the  night ;  nor  yet  to  try  a  case,  pass  sentence, 
and  put  it  into  execution  the  same  day.  "  It  is  worthy  of  remark 
that  all  these  practices,  which  were  observed  in  other  trials,  were 
neglected  in  the  tumultuous  trial  of  Jesus  (Mat.  xxvi.  57  ;  Jo.  xviii. 
13-18).  For  Avhat  the  modern  Jews  assert— viz.,  that  forty  days 
■were  allowed  to  Jesus  to  make  His  defence  in — is  not  mentioned  by 
the  more  ancient  writers."  (J.  B.  A.,  iii.  246.)  The  Talmud  forbids 
trials  of  causes  on  days  of  national  festivals  ;  in  contravention  of 
the  spirit  of  Deu.  xvii."  13,  for  observance  of  wh.  "  all  the  people  " 
could  not  in  general  find  so  good  an  opportunity  as  on  the  days 
of  those  festivals.  "  Nor  was  there  any  reason  to  fear  that  the 
religious  festivals  of  the  nation  would  be  profaned  in  this  way, 
inasmuch  as  judicial  tribunals  in  a  theocracy  were  of  Divine 
institution.  It  may  be  further  observed  on  this  point  that  the 
reason  assigned  why  the  Jews  avoided  the  festival  day  (Mat. 
xxvi.  5)  was  the  fear  of  an  uproar  among  the  people.  But  it 
appeai-s,  as  soon  as  a  person  was  found  treacherous  enough  to  betray 
the  Saviour,  that  even  the  fears  fr.  this  source  vanished."  (J.  B.  A., 
iii.  246.)  3.  Sentences.  "  As  the  Jews  possessed  a  written  code  of 
laws,  very  little  discretion  was  left  to  the  tribunals  in  pronouncing 
sentence,  and  in  fact  the  sentences  for  each  crime  were  so  fully 
established  in  the  criminal  legislation  of  the  Mosaic  law,  that  some 
have  doubted  whether  the  power  of  mitigation  and  pardon   waa 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  G9 


Life.]  MANNERS  AXD  CUSTOMS.  [Courts  of  Justice. 

conceded  to  the  judges  or  even  to  the  sovereign."  (1\  B.  C. ;  Jo.  xix 
7.)  Sentence  of  death  was  pronounced  in  foil,  eases  :  (1)  Blasphemy 
(Lev.  xxiv.  23),  including  prof'aneness  and  sacrilege  (Lev.  vii.  21, 
xix.  8).  (2)  Idolatry  (Lev.  xx.  12;  Deu.  xiii.,  xvii.),  including 
Sabbath-breaking  (Ex.  xxxi.  14;  Nu.  xv.  32,  35).  (3)  False  prophe- 
sying (Deu.  xiii.  5,  xviii.  20).  (4)  Murder  (Nu.  xxxv.  16-21),  in- 
cluding keeping  a  vicious  ox  that  gores  a  man  to  death.  (Ex.  xxi. 
29) ;  but  this  capital  offence  might  be  commuted  for  a  sum  of 
money.  (5)  Persistent  rebellion  against  authority,  as  against  supreme 
court  (Deu  xvii.  12);  obstinate  filial  disobedience  (Lev.  xx.  9;  Deu. 
xxi. 18)  (6)  Adultery  (Lev  xx.  10).  (7)  WitchcraJt(Le\.  xx.6).  (8)Fovl 
crimes  (Lev.  xx.)  The  sentence  of  death  was  carried  out  in  various 
ways  (see  Punishments).  Forms  of  trial  in  E.  have  altered  but  little 
since  patriarchal  times.  Among  the  Jews  it  was  usual  for  the 
spectators  of  a  trial  to  give  their  opinions,  and  try  to  influence  the 
Terdict ;  and  a  similar  practice  prevailed  in  anc.  Greece  during  the 
heroic  ages :  — 

"  There  in  the  forum  swarm  a  numerous  train, 

The  subject  of  debate,  a  townsman  slain  : 

One  pleads  the  fine  discharged,  which  one  denied, 

And  bade  the  public  and  the  laws  decide ; 

The  witness  is  produced  on  either  hand, 

For  this  or  that  the  partial  people  stand  ; 

The  appointed  heralds  still  the  noisy  bands, 

And  form  a  ring,  with  sceptres  in  their  hands  ; 

On  seats  of  stone  within  the  sacred  place 

The  reverend  elders  nodded  o'er  the  case  ; 

Alternate  each  the  attesting  sceptre  took, 

And  rising,  solemn  each  his  sentence  spoke."     (Homer.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  The  great  assize. 
In  earthly  courts  of  justice,  the  guilty  sometimes  escape,  and  the  innocent 
suffer.  In  the  heavenly,  every  crime  will  be  brought  home.  Many 
criminals  evade  trial  on  earth,  but  small  and  great  will  stand  before  God. 
2.  The  Judge:  righteous,  inflexible,  omniscient,  almighty  to  execute  the 
sentence.  3.  The  Advocate  will  plead  for  His  people  who  trust  in  Ilim. 
4.  The  criminals,  men  of  every  age  and  nation. 

"  O  Thou,  the  contrite  sinner's  Friend, 
Who,  loving,  lovest  to  the  end, 
On  this  alone  my  hopes  depend, 

That  Thou  wilt  plead  for  me. 
"When  the  full  light  of  heavenly  day 
Reveals  my  sins  in  dread  array, 
Say  Thou  hast  washed  them  all  away ; 

O,  say  Thou  plead' st  for  me." 

III.  Practical  Hints. —  1.  Those  only  will  be  safe  then  who  be- 
lieve  now.  By  grace  we  are  saved  through  faith.  3.  The  world  is  guilty 
before  God.  4.  But  Christ — the  divinely-appointed  Saviour — has  died 
for  man.  o.  All  who  believe  in  Him  as  the  Son  of  God  and  their  Saviour, 
and  whose  faith  is  true  and  practica-l,  will  be  saved    (Jo.  hi.  14-18). 


70  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Cities  of  Refuge  ]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Civil 

I.  Descriptive,  etc.  (C.  D.  O.  T.,  156.)— 1.  Origin.  The  punish- 
ment of  murder,  or  manslaughter,  was,  fr.  the  earliest  times  in  the  E., 
a  matter  principally  of  private  revenge — often  precipitate,  violent,  and 
cruel — and  not  of  public  justice.  Moses  was  commanded  to  appoint  6 
cities,  that  whoever  had  unintentionally  slain  a  man  might  retire 
thither  and  prepare  his  defence;  and  that  he  might  not  be  pursued  and 
killed  by  the  kinsman  of  the  deceased  (Ex.  xxi.  13;  Nu.  xxxv.  11-15; 
Jos.  xx."  7,  8).  2.  Names  and  situation  of  these  6  cities :  3  were  on 
either  side  Jordan,  and  so  situated  as  to  be  of  easy  access  fr.  every 
part  of  the  country  (see  Map,  vol.  i.,  225).  (1)  Cities  of  R  east  of 
Jordan.  (a)  Bezer  (=  precious  one)  in  plain  country  of  Reuben, 
allotted  to  Levites  of  fam.  of  Merari,  S.E.  of  Heshbon,  and  opposite 
the  Dead  Sea  (Deu.  iv.  43  ;  Jos.  xx.  8,  xxi.  36 ;  1  Ch.  vi.  78). 
(b)  Ramoth-Gilead  (=  heights  of  Gilead)  in  tr.  of  Gad  ;  prob.  identical 
with  Ramoth-Mizpeh,  sometimes  called  Ramah  (2  K.  viii.  29  ;  2  Ch. 
xxii.  6),  per.  the  mod.  es-Salt  (R.  B.  S.,  ii.  243,  257,  iii.  103,  app.  167). 
[Seat  of  one  of  Solomon's  commissariat  officers  (1  K.  iv.  13).  Ahab 
perished  here  (xxii.  1-36 ;  2  Ch.  xviii.)  Joram  wounded  here 
(2  K.  viii.  28,  29  ;  2  Ch.  xxii.  5.  6)  ;  here  Jehu  an.  king  (2  K.  ix. 
1,  4,  14).]  (c)  Golan  (=  exile)  in  Bashan  (q.  v.)  in  E.  half-tribe  of 
Manasseh.  Opp  waters  of  Merom.  Centre  of  the  dist.  called  after 
it,  Gaulonites  (?) ;  now  Nimr-el-Jauldn.  2.  Cities  of  R.  west  of 
Jordan,  (d)  Hebron  (see  Cities  of  Judah).  (e)  Shechem  (q.v.,  also 
Cities  of  Samaria;  T.  L.  B.,  473-4;  S.  S.  P.,  233-5:  C.  D.  N.  T.,  20), 
in  tribe  of  Ephraim.  (f)  Kedesh  (=  sanctuary),  sometimes  called 
K.-naphtali,  because  in  tr.  of  N.  [Joshua  took  it  (Jos.  xii.  22) ;  Barak 
a  native  of  (Jud.  iv.  6-11);  Tiglath-pileser  took  it  (2  K.  xv.  29).  "  The 
mod.  village  of  Kudes  is  4  m.  fr.  L.  Merom,  and  stands  upon  a  hill, 
where  are  many  ruins,  fragments  of  pillars,  sarcophagi,  and  huge 
door-posts."  (T.  B.  K. ;  R.  B.  R.,  iii.  355.)] 

II.  Bible  References.— Design  of  (Ex.  xxi.  13  ;  Nu.  xxxv.  11 ; 

Jos.  xx.  3).  Names  of  (Deu.  iv.  41,  43  ;  Jos.  xx.  7,  8)  required  to  be 
easy  of  access  (Deu.  xix.  3  ;  Is.  lxii.  10)  ;  open  to  all  homicides 
(Jos.  xx.  4)  or  strangers  (Nu.  xxxv.  5).  Those  admitted  were  tried 
(Nu.  xxxv.  12,  24);  not  protected  outside  (Nu.  xxv.  26,  27);  forced  to 
stay  in  till  death  of  h.-priest  (Nu.  xxxv.  25,  28).  No  asylum  to 
murderers  (Ex.  xxi.  14 ;  Nu.  xxxv.  16-21). 

III.  Avenger  of  Blood.— Heb.  goel.  The  right  of  redeeming  property 
or  persons,  as  well  as  of  avenging  blood,  ace.  to  Heb.  laws,  belonged  only 
to  the  next  relative,  hence  in  Lev.  xxv.  25,  goel  =z  next  relative.  The  a. 
of  blood  oft.  underwent  incalculable  dif.,  and  spent  an  incredible  time  in 
hunting  down  his  victim,  but  a  compensation  for  murder  was  oft.  accepted. 
The  practice  of  avenging  blood  still  obtains  am.  the  Arabs  [also  am. 
mountaineers  of  Sardinia,  said  to  be  desc.  fr.  the  Saracens].  "  To  the 
fourth  generation  (it  is  the  exact  limit  laid  down  both  in  Bedouin  custom 
and  in  the  Mosaic  law),  the  lineal  desc.  of  a  murdered  man  is  to  this  day 


Tones   fou  teachers.  71 

Life.]  UANNBRS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Cities  of  .Refuge. 

1  with  the  duty  of  aven.  his  blood.  This  institution. ..  .was  ic- 
Btrainedby  the  establishment  of  the  cities  of  ft.  If,  for  the  hardness  of 
the  Bedouin  heart,  Moses  left  the  A.-of-B.  as  ho  found  him;  yet,  for  the 
tenderness  of  heart  infused  by  a  '  more  excellent  way,'  ho  reared  those 
rs  against  him.  The  common  law  of  the  desert  found  itself  kept  in 
check  by  the  statute  law  of  Palestine,  and  the  6  cities  became  (as  far  as 
we  know  fr.  history)  rather  monuments  of  what  had  been,  and  of  what 
might  have  been,  than  remedies  of  what  was."     (6'.  J.  C,  i.  170-1.) 

IV.  Sanctuaries  or  Asylums.— Besides  the  cities  of  r.,  the 
altar  of  burnt-off.  and  the  Temple  were  ss.,  but  not  for  wilful  murderers 

Ex.  xxi.  14)  ;  hence  when  Joab. refused  to  quit  the  altar,  he  was  slain  on 
the  spot  (1  K.  ii.  28-34,  cf.  Ex.  xxi.  14).  The  practice  of  s.  prevailed 
among  most  heathen  nations — as  Persians,  Arabs,  Greeks,  Romans  ;  and 
ace.  to  Adair  (Hisf.  of  N.  American  Indians),  most  of  those  nations  had 
either  a  house  or  a  town  as  a  safe  asylum.  Aft.  time  of  Constantino,  the 
cust.  was  intro.  among  Christian  churches,  and  Christian  churches  and 
altars  possessed  the  privilege  of  asylum.  "  The  multiplication  of  these 
privileged  places  soon  became  exceedingly  inconvenient,  being  found  to 
at  a  serious  impediment  to  the  administration  of  justice  ;  and  hence 
it  was  found  necessary  fr.  time  to  time  to  circumscribe  the  ecclesiastical 
right  of  s.  by  various  restrictions  and  limitations."  {T.B.C.)  Since  the 
16th  cent,  it  has  been  abolished. 

V.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Jesus  Christ  is  our 
refuge  (Ps.  xei.  2  :  Is.  xxv."4).  2.  He  is  easy  of  access  to  all  (Is.  xxxv.  8  ; 
Jo.  xiv.  G).  The  way  to  the  c.  of  it.  were  to  be  kept  in  good  order,  and 
ILittinger  remarks,  "  Fr.  this  custom  of  preparing  the  way  for  the  refugee, 
Isaiah  represented  the  Baptist  preparing  it  for  the  Messiah,  who  being 
about  to  pay  the  goelic  satisfaction,  was  prophetically  designated  by  that 
name  ;  since  by  abolishing  the  atrocities  of  the  office,  and  fulfilling  the 
purport  of  the  cities  of  e.,  He  is  said  to  have  revealed  to  all  mankind  the 
salvation  of  God  "  (Lu.  iii.  4,  6).  3.  No  one  to  make  weapons  in  c.  of  k. 
that  revenge  might  not  be  gratified  there.  Those  who  dwell  together  in 
Christ,  are  to  live  in  peace.  4.  c.  of  r.  ill.  the  hope  of  the  Gospel  (Heb. 
vi.  18). 

VI.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  What  wonderful  grace  that  He  whom 
our  sins  have  helped  to  slay  should  be  a  refuge  for  us.  "  Jesus,  refuge  of 
my  seal,"  etc.  2.  We  are  invited  to  flee  to  Him,  and  encouraged  by  the 
promise  of  life  (Jo.  x.  10),  the  life  of  God  here,  and  of  glory  for  ever. 
3.  If  we  refuse  to  fly  for  refuge  to  Jesus,  the  law  must  take  its  course 
(Ro.  iii.  20;  Gal.  ii.  1G,  iii.  13).  4.  Since  this  life  is  so  uncertain,  let  us 
make  our  eternal  life  sure. 

[Addenda. — Privileged  places  for  offenders  said  to  have  been  granted 
by  K.  Lucius  to  churches  and  their  precincts.  Thus  St.  John's,  of  Beverley, 
in  time  of  i-'ax.  St.  Burein's,  Cornwall,  by  Athelstan  (935).  Westminster, 
by  Edwd.  the  Confessor.  St.  Martin' s-le-Grand  (1-529).  Being  much 
abused,  the  privilege  of  sanctuary  was  limited  by  the  Pope,  in  150^,  at 
of  Hen.  VII.  It  was  abol.  at  Reformation.  Security  fr.  arrest 
in  Minories,  Salisbury  Court,  Whitefriars,  Fulwood's  Rents,  Mitre  Court, 
Baldwin's  Gardens,  Savoy,  Clink,  Deadman's  Place,  Montague  Close, 
Mint  ;  abol.  1696,  but  lasted  in  some  degree  till  Geo.  II.] 


72  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Punishments.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Civil 

I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Capital  p.  :  (1)  Stoning.  This  the  usual  form 
(Ex.  xvii.  4 ;  Lu.  xx.  6  ;  Jo.  x.  31  ;  Ac.  xiv.  5).  In  some  cases  the 
witnesses  were  to  cast  the  first  stone  (Deu.  xiii.  9,  xvii.  7;  Jo.  viii.  7; 
Ac.  vii.  58;  K.  D.  B.  L,  viii.  63,  where  the  method  of  execution 
by  stoning  is  fully  described).  The  Rabbins  assert  that  the  first 
stone  was  cast  by  one  of  them  on  the  chest  ;  if  the  blow  was  not 
fatal,  the  bystanders  completed  the  sentence.  (Goodwin,  31.  and  A., 
p.  121.)  Body  then  suspended  till  sunset  (Deu.  xxi.  23  ;  Jos.  x.  26; 
J.  Aut.,  iv.  8,  24),  and  not  interred  in  fam.  tomb.  (2)  Hanging 
(Nu.  xxv.  4  ;  2  S.  xxi.  6,  9),  though  spoken  of  as  a  distinct  punish- 
ment, usually  follows  death  by  some  other  means  (Deu.  xxi.  2.3). 
Accursed,  not  because  he  was  hanged,  but  because  his  crime  was  of  so 
great  and  cursed  a  degree,  that  he  was  hanged  up  as  a  spectacle  of 
infamy  after  death;  this  exp.  Gal.  iii.  13.  (3)  Burning.  At  first 
for  unchastity  (Gen.  xxxviii.  24)  ;  under  law  for  var.  offences  (Lev. 
xx.  14,  xxi.  9)  ;  fol.  death  by  other  means  (Jos.  vii.  25).  (4)  Death 
by  sioord  or  spear  (Ex.  xix.  13,  xxxii.  27  ;  Nu.  xxv.  7)  occurs  oft. 
under  kings,  and  after  captivity  (1  K.  ii.  25  ;  xix.  1  ;  2  Ch.  xxi.  4  ; 
Jer.  xxvi.  23  ;  2  S.  i.  15,  iv.  12,  xx.  22  ;  1  S.  xv.  33;  xxii.  18  ; 
Jud.  ix.  5  ;  2  K.  x.  7  ;  Mat.  xiv.  8,  10).  (5)  Strangling  most  com.  and 
least  severe  ;  criminal  half-buried,  and  then  killed  by  cloth  twisted 
round  the  neck  (Goodwin,  31.  and  A.,  p.  122).  Other  forms  of 
capital  p.,  foreign  or  hregular,  also  mentioned,  (a)  Crucijixion 
(C.  D.  JV.  T.,  200).  (b)  Drowning,  said  by  Jerome  to  have  been 
practised  by  Jews  (Mat.  xviii.  6  ;  Mk.  ix.  42).  (c)  Saicing  asunder 
and  crushing.  By  the  former  Isaiah  is  said  to  have  perished  (2  S.  xii. 
31  ;  Pr.  xx.  26  ;  "Heb.  xi.  37).  Sawing  practised  in  Barbary  (Shaw, 
Trav.,  254).  id)  Pounding  in  mortar,  beating  to  death  (Pr.  xxvii. 
22);  pounding,  a  Cingalese  punishment  (Tennant,  Ceylon  ii.,  88). 
(e)  Precipitation  attempted  in  case  of  Christ  (Lu.  iv.  29) ;  accomplished 
upon  Edomites  (2  Ch.  xxv.  12).  St.  James  said  to  have  been  cast 
fr.  pinnacle  of  temple.  Many  martyrs  in  Madagascar  killed  by 
hurling  fr.  a  rock.  Criminals  executed  by  law  buried  outside  the 
citv,  and  heaps  of  stones  flung  on  their  graves  (Jos.  vii.  25,  26  ;  2  S. 
xviii.  17  ;  Jer.  xxii.  19).  To  this  day  Mohammedans  cast  stones  at 
supposed  tomb  of  Absalom,  to  show  that  he  deserved  to  be  stoned 
for  his  rebellion  to  his  father.  2.  Inferior  p.  (1)  Retaliation  (Ex.' 
xxi.  24,  25  ;  Lev.  xxiv.  20  ;  Deu.  xix.  21  ;  Mat.  v.  38).  (2)  Restitu- 
tion, compensation  for  loss  (Ex.  xxi.  18-36  ;  Xev.  xxiv.  18-21  ;  Deu. 
xix.  21) ;  in  case  of  theft  (Ex.  xxii.) ;  slander  (Deu.  xxii.  18,  19) ;  the 
compensation  was  to  be  complete  (Pr.  vi.  31).  (3)  Scourging,  not  above 
40  stripes  (Deu.  xxv.  3).  Jews  took  care  not  to  exceed  39  (2  Cor. 
xi.  24;  J.  Aut.,  iv.  8,  21);  criminal  stripped  to  waist,  tied  to  low- 
pillar,  scourged  with  three-thonged  whip.  The  Abyssinians,  it  is 
said,  use  the  same  number  (Wolff,  Trav.,  ii.  276). "  (4)  Various. 
(a)  Scourging  with  thorns  (Jud.  viii.  16);  stocks  (Jer.  xx.  2);  passing 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  73 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Punishments. 

through  fire  (2  S.  xii.  31) ;  mutilation  (Jud.  i.  6  ;  2  S.  iv.  12);  plucking 
out  hair  (Is.  i.  6) ;  imprisonment,  confiscation,  exile  (Ezr.  vii.  26  ; 
Jer.  xxxvii.  15,  xxxviii.  6  ;  Ac.  iv.  3,  v.  18,  xii.  4).  "  As  in  earlier 
times  imprisonment  formed  no  part  of  Jewish  system,  sentences  were 
executed  at  once.  Before  death  a  grain  of  frankincense  in  a  cup  of 
wine  was  given  to  the  criminal  to  intoxicate  him.  The  command  for 
witnesses  to  cast  the  first  stone  shows  that  the  duty  of  execution  did 
not  belong  to  any  special  officer  (Deu.  xvii.  7)." — S.  B.  D.  3.  Foreign 
p.  In  Egypt,  p.  rested  with  the  king  or  state  officials  (Ge.  xl.  3,  22, 
xlii.  20)  ;  death  commuted  for  slavery  (xlii.  19,  xliv.  9,  33)  ;  the 
chief  executioner  was  an  officer  of  state  (Ge.  xxxvii.  36,  xxxix.,  xl.) 
Execution  of  Haman,  and  story  of  Daniel,  examples  of  summary 
Oriental  procedure  (2  K.  xxv.  7";  Est.  vii.  9,  10  ;  Jer.  xxix.  29  ;  Dan. 
iii.  6,  vi.  7,  24  ;  Lavard,  Nineveh,  ii.  369,  374,  377).  With  the 
Romans,  stripes  and  stocks,  irevTeovpiyyov  £v\ov,  nervus  and  Colum- 
bia; were  in  use,  and  imprisonment,  with  a  chain  attached  to  a 
soldier.  (S.  B.  D.)  St.  Paul  also  seems  to  refer  to  exposure  to 
wild  beasts  (1  Cor.  xv.  32  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  17).  4.  Prisons.  Imprison- 
ment not  ordered  by  law ;  hence  no  P.  till  time  of  kings,  when  it 
was  a  special  part  of  palace  (1  K.  xxii.  27  ;  Jer.  xxxii.  2,  xxxvii. 
21  ;  Neh.  iii.  25).  Private  houses  were  also  used  (Jer.  xxxvii.  15). 
Public  Ps.  unknown  in  Judrea  bef.  captivity.  Under  Herod  they 
were  attached  to  palace  (Lu.  iii.  20  ;  Ac.  xii.  4,  10).  The  Romans 
used  the  fortress  Antonia  as  a  P.  at  Jerusalem  (xxiii.  10)  ;  and  at 
Coesarea  Herod's  prsetorium  (35).  The  priests  had  a  P.  (Ac.  v.  18-23, 
viii.  3,  xxvi.  10  ;  see  also  Ac.  xvi.  24  ;  Job  xiii.  27). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — 1.  The  witnesses  had 

to  act  as  executioners ;  this  would  be  a  check  to  unjust,  rash,  and  cruel 
charges.  Odium  attached  to  executions  ;  penalties  incurred  by  those  who 
shed  innocent  blood,  or  the  false  witness,  a  further  caution.  2.  Yet  to 
permit  an  offender  to  escape,  was  to  partake  in  his  crime.  Hence  laxity 
in  execution  of  law  also  guarded.  3.  We  have  all  incurred  punishment 
as  law-breakers.  Christ  has  borne  the  punishment  for  us  (Is.  liii.  5). 
4.  ps.  needful  in  a  state. 

"  He's  a  bad  surgeon  that  for  pity  spares 
The  part  corrupted,  till  the  gangrene  spread, 
And  all  the  body  perish  ;  he  that's  merciful 
Unto  the  bad,  is  cruel  to  the  goud."     (Randolph.) 

b.  Ps.  should  not  be  attended  with  needless  pain. 

"  See,  they  suffer  death  ; 
But  in  their  deaths  remember  they  are  men ; 
Strain  not  the  laws  to  make  their  tortures  grievous."     (Addison.) 

6.  The  crime  is  the  disgrace,  and  not  the  punishment,  to  the  guiltless. 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Avoid  crime,  not  for  fear  of  the  punish- 
ment ;  but  because  of  the  shame,  and  the  moral  defilement.  2.  Trust  in 
Him  who  has  borne  our  sins  in  His  own  body  on  the  tree. 


74 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHEKS. 


Ceremonials.] 


MANNERS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Royal 


I.  Descriptive.— Kixg  :  Heb.,  melek;  Gk.,  fiaaiXevs ;  Lat.,  rex. 
Name  of  chief  ruler  of  Hebrews  for  ab.  .500  yrs.  bef.  destr.  of  Jeru- 
salem. Occasion  of  change  of  gov.  fr.  judges'  to  kings  seems  to  have 
been  results  of  siege  of  Jabesh-Gilead 
(1  S.  xi.,  xii.  12).  The  Israelites  felt 
they  should  have  a  king,  like  other 
nations.  The  desire  may  have  b(  i  i 
strengthened  by  the  disgust  excited 
by  corrupt  practices  of  Samuel's  sons 
(1  S.  viii.  3-5).  Their  notion  of  a  king 
was,  that  he  should  be  a  leader  and 
aruler  (1  S.  viii.  20).  1.  His  power  : 
To  the  Heb.  monarchy  under  David 
and  Solomon  the  fol.  desc.  of  shahs  of 
Persia  may,  on  the  whole,  apply. 
Anointing.  "The   monarch   of   Persia    has   been 

pronounced  to  be  one  of  the  most  absolute  in  the  world.  His  word 
has  ever  been  deemed  a  law ;  and  he  has  prob.  never  had  any  further 
restraint  upon  the  free  exercise  of  his  vast  authority  than  has  arisen 
from  his  regard  to  religion,  his  respect  for  established  usages,  his 
desire  of  reputation,  and  his  fear  of  exciting  an  opposition  that 
might  be  dangerous  to  his  power  or  to  his  life."  (Malcolm's  Persia, 
ii.  303.)     2.  His  inauguration  attended  with  pomp  and  ceremony. 

(1)  The  anointing  with  holy  oil  (Ps.  lxxxix.  20),  wh.  was  sometimes 
private,  bj  projihet  (1  S.  x.  1,  xvi.  1-13),  and  then  was  a  symbolical 
prediction  that  he  would  be  king.  After  establishment  of  monarchy 
it  was  by  a  priest  (1  K.  i.  39) ;  first  in  some  public  place  (1  K.  i. 
32-34),  aft.  in  temple,  the  king  surrounded  by  his  guards  (2  K.  xi. 
11,  12;  2  Ch.  xxiii.)  At  same  time  he  was  prob.  girded  with  a 
sword  (Ps.  xlv.  3) ;  then,  as  in  case  of  Solomon,  proclaimed  by  sound 
of  trumpet  (1  K.  i.  34,  39).  One  of  his  titles  fr.  this  ceremony  of 
anointing  (1   S.  xxiv.  6,   10,  xxvi.  9,  11,   16,  23 ;  2  S.  xxxiii.  1). 

(2)  Croivned:  A  diadem  placed  on  his  head,  and  a  sceptre  in  his 
hand  (2  K.  xi.  12;  Ps.  xlv.  6;  Ez.  xxi.  26;  for  crown,  etc.,  see 
Insignia) ;  aft.  wh.,  books  of  law  being  handed  to  him  (2  Iv.  xi.  12 ; 
2  Ch.  xxiii.  11),  he  made  a  solemn  covenant  with  his  subjects  (2  S. 
v.  3  ;  1  Ch.  xi.  3).  The  nobles  promised  obedience,  and  appear  to 
have  confirmed  the  pledge  with  a  kiss  (Ps.  ii.  1 2).  Loud  acclamations, 
with  music,  followed,  and  the  king  then  entered  the  city  (1  K.  i. 
39,  40;  2  K.  xi.  12,  19).  [Hence  many  allusions  (Ps.  xlvii.  1-9, 
xcvii.  1 ;  Mat.  xxi.  9,  10;  Mk.  xi.  9,  10;  Lu.  xix.  35-38).]  (3)  En- 
throned: Aft.  entering  the  city,  the  king  seated  himself  upon  a 
throne,  and  received  the  congratulations  of  his  subjects  (1  K.  i.  35, 
47,  48  ;  2  K.  xi.  19,  20).  3.  His  COURT  (see  Insignia,  State  Officials, 
etc.)  (1)  Table  exhibited  a  luxurious  profusion  (1  K.  iv.  22,  23,  28) ; 
served,  in  Solomon's  time,  in  vessels  of  gold  (}  K.  x.  21).     [The 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


•Life.]  MAJfNJBSS  A\D  CUSTOMS.  [Ceremonials. 

custom  of  supplying  the  royal  household  fr.  12  provinces,  in  rotation, 
obtains  to  this  day  in  Persia,  ace.  to  Morier.']  (2)  Etiquette:  Mode 
of  doing  reverence  to  king  among  anc.  Persians  little  short  of 
absolute  idolatry.  Along  with  prostrations  (see  Salutations),  some 
compliment  was  used  (2  S.  xiv.  20;  Dan.  ii.  4).  So  to  this  day,  in 
India,  a  poor  man,  soliciting  a  favour  of  a  king,  will  say,  "O  father, 
thou  art  the  support  of  the  destitute.  Mayest  thou  live  to  old  age." 
{Roberts.)  Homage  rendered  to  king;s  "often  exacted  by  chief 
favourites;  hence,  perhaps,  in  part,  Mordocai's  conduct  (Est!  iii.  2). 
(3)  Journeys :  Kings  rode  on  asses  or  mules  (2  S.  xiii.  29,  xvii.  23), 
or  in  chariots,  surrounded  by  a  guard  (IK,  i.o);  harbingers  went 
before  to  prepare  the  way,  level  roads,  etc.  (Is.  xl.  3,  cf.  Mai.  iii.  1  ; 
Mat.  iii.  3  ;  Mk.  i.  3).    4.*Revextjes  :  (1)  Gifts  (1  S.  x.  27,  xvi.  20). 

(2)  Royal  flocks  (1  S.  xxi.  7 ;  2  S.  xiii.  23;  2  Ch.  xxxii.  28,  29). 

(3)  Crown  lands  (1  S.  viii.  14,  xxii.  7 ;  Ez.  xlvi.  17).  (4)  Taxes  (1  K. 
x.  14,  xii.  14,  18).     (5)   Customs  (1  K.  x.  22). 

II.  Bible  References  to  Kings. — Israel  warned  against  seeking 
(1  S.  viii.  9-18);  sin  of  seeking  (1  S.  xii.  17-20);  why?  (1  S.  viii.  7,  x.  19); 
why  they  sought  a  king  (1  S.  viii.  5,  19,  20) ;  first  given  in  anger  (Hos. 
xiii.  11) ;  God  reserved  the  choice  of  (Deu.  xvii.  14,  15  ;  IS.  ix.  16,  17, 
xvi.  12);  not  hereditary  at  first  (Deu.  xvii.  20,  cf.  1  S.  xiii.  13,  14,  xv. 
28,  29);  became  so  in  fam.  of  David  (2  Sam.  vii.  12-16;  Ps.  lxxxix.  35-37); 
not  to  he  foreigners  (Deu.  xvii.  15) ;  restrictions  (Deu.  xvii.  16.  17) ;  laws 
written  by  Samuel  (1  S.  x.  25) ;  copy  of  Divine  to  be  written  and  kept  hy 
themselves  (Deu.  xvii.  18-20) ;  power  (1  S.  xi.  5-7,  cf.  xxii.  17,  18;  2  S. 
i.  15,  iv.  9-12;  1  K.  ii.  23,  25,  31);  hody-guard  (1  S.  xiii.  2;  2  S.  viii.  18; 
1  Ch.  xi.  25 ;  2  Ch.  xii.  10) ;  dwelt  in  palace  ^2  Ch.  ix.  11 ;  Ps.  xlv.  15) ; 
names  of  changed  (2  K.  xxiii.  34,  xxiv.  17) ;  how  approached  (1  S.  xxi  v. 
8 ;  2  S.  ix.  8,  xiv.  22 ;  1  K.  i.  23)  ;  place  of  honour  (1  K.  ii.  19 ;  Ps.  xlv. 
9,  ex.  1) ;  attendants  of,  stood  (1  K.  x.  8 ;  2  K.  xxv.  19) ;  hospitality  (1  S. 
xx.  25-27;  2  S.  ix.  7-13,  xix.  33 ;  1  K.  iv.  22,  23,  38);  nominated  their 
successors  (1  K.  i.  33,  34 ;  2  Ch.  xi.  22,  23) ;  amenable  to  Divine  law 
(2S.  xii.  7-12;  1  K.  xxi.  18-24). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  G-od  is  King  of 

kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  Extent  of  His  dominion;  splendour  of  His 
palace  and  court;  number,  variety,  and  happiness  of  His  subjects.  He 
promises  to  make  His  subjects — kings !  2.  "  There  is  another  King — one 
Jesus."  Are  we  His  loyal  subjects?  3.  Even  kings  not  raised  above 
Divine  law ,  much  more,  therefore,  should  we  bow  to  it.  4.  The  coronation- 
day  of  the  righteous  is  coming ;  they  will  have  a  crown,  sceptre,  robe, 
throne.  5.  If  homage  should  be  paid  to  earthly  kings,  much  more  to  the 
great  k.  6.  Kings  should  be  prayed  for  (1  Tim.  ii.  2) ;  also  for  Jesus, 
that  His  power  and  dominion  may  be  increased  (Ps.  lxxii.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Let  your  prayer  for  royalty  be,  in  its 
highest  sense,  "  God  save  the  king."  2.  Be  true  subjects  of  the  heavenly 
King.  3.  Confess  His  name,  defend  His  laws,  extend  His  kingdom. 
4.  -Live  in  the  humble  hope  of  being,  through  grace,  exalted  to  a  place  at 
His  right  hand. 


76  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Insignia  ]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Royal 

I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Crown  [lit.,  a  circle,  something-  round,  a 
garland;  Fr. ,  couronne  ;  L.,  corona  :  Gk.,  Kopcovrj ;  ^N.,crwn;  Gael., 
crumn,  round].  (1)  Originated  in  the  diadem,  wh.  was  simply  a 
fillet  fastened  round  the  head,  and  tied  behind 
[Gk.,  diadema—  dia,  round;  and  deo,  to  hind]; 
used  by  a  people  who  wore  long  hair,  to  prevent 
it  fr.  falling-  over  the  face.  A  king  or  chief 
would  be  dist.  by  a  fillet  of  dif.  colour  fr.  that 
usually  worn.  (2)  Name:  (a)  Heb.,  nezer  = 
diadem  (?),  applied  to  plate  of  gold  in  front 
of  high-priest's  mitre,  wh.  was  tied  behind  with 
a  ribbon  (Ex.  xxix.  6,  xxxix.  30),  and  to  Saul's 
diadem  (2  S.  i.  10),  and  to  crown  of  Joash 
(2  K.  xi.  12).  (b)  Heb.,  atarah,  usual  word  = 
crown,  app.  to  head-ornaments  of  dif.  kinds. 
(3)  Material,  etc. :  The  crown  taken  by  David 
Crown.  fr    king  0f   Ammon  was  of   gold  and  jewels 

(2  S,  xii.  30).  Impossible  to  decide  on  shape  of  these  ancient  crowns 
(see  K.  B.  C,  art.  Crown,  engravings).  A  diadem  of  2  or  3  fillets 
may  sig.  dominion  over  as  many  countries  (Hev.  xii.  3,  xix.  12). 
Very  little  idea  of  form  of  anc.  oriental  c.  to  be  obtained  fr.  what 
is  known  of  mod.  European.  They  were  most  prob.  caps,  turbans, 
tiaras,  of  dif.  shapes  and  material,  studded  with  precious  stones. 
[Cs.  of  kings  must  be  dis.  fr.  the  cs.  worn  at  marriages  (Song  iii.  11  ; 
Is.  lxi.  10),  and  at  feasts,  and  the  garlands  given  to  victors  in  the 
public  games  (1  Cor.  ix.  25;  2  Tim.  ii.  5,  iv.  8 ;  1  Pet.  v.  4).] 
2.  Throne  [L.,  thronns ;  Gr.,  thronos,  a  seat— thrao,  to  set]:  Heb., 
cisse*  =  elevated  seat  of  person  in  authority,  as  h. -priest  (1  S.  i.  9) ; 
judge  (Ps.  cxxii.  5) ;  military  chief  (Jer.  i.  15)  :  usual  seat  in  E.  is 
only  a  carpet  or  cushion.  The  T.,  being  raised,  needed  a  footstool 
(Is.  lxvi.  1  ;  Ac.  vii.  49).  A  king's  T.,  as  dis.  fr.  ordinary  cisse,  was 
called  "  T.  of  the  kingdom  "  (Deu.  xvii.  18;  1  K.  i.  46  ;  2  Ch.  vii.  18). 
The  chief  feature  of  royal  T.  was  its  elevation.  [See  desc.  of  Solomon's 
T.  (1  K.  x.  18-20).  "This  T.  was  placed  on  a  flooring,  elevated  6 
steps,  on  ea.  of  wh.  steps,  and  on  either  side,  was  the  figure  of  a  lion, 
making  12  of  them  in  the  whole."  (J.  B.  A.,  ii.  225.)  The  king  sat 
on  his  T.  on  state  occasions,  granting  audiences  (1  K.  ii.  19,  xxii. 
10;  Est.  v.  1);  receiving  homage  (2  K.  xi.  19);  administering 
justice  (Pr.  xx.  8),  and  dressed  in  his  royal  robes  (1  K.  xxii.  10; 
Jo.  iii.  6;  Ac.  xii.  21).  3.  Kobe  [lit.,  plunder,  wh.  orig.  consisted 
chiefly  of  clothing.  Fr.,Tt.,  roba  ;  Prov.,  rauba ;  A.-S.,  reaf,  gar- 
ment, spoil,  fr.  same  root  as  rob.  It  was,  therefore,  an  emblem  of 
victory  and  triumph  over  enemies]  was  costly  and  gorgeous  (Est. 
vi.  8,  viii.  15).  Its  material  was  fine  white  linen,  or  cotton;  the 
usual  colour  was  purple  (Lu.  xvi.  19 ;  Hev.  xviii.  12,  16).  The  kings 
of  Media  and  Persia  appear  to  have  used  silk.     That  the  dress  of 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  77 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Insignia. 

Jewish  kings  was  dif.  fr.  that  of  other  persons  is  evident  fr.  Ahab's 
changing  his  apparel  bef.  he  engaged  in  battle,  and  fr.  Jehoshaphat's 
retaining  his  (I  K.  xxii.  30).  4.  Sceptre  [lit.,  somethiny  to  lean 
upon  ;  L.,  sceptrum  ;  L>k.,  skeptroti,  a  staff  to  lean  upon  ;  skeptd,  to 
lean].  The  Heb.  shebet  was  a  wooden  rod  or  staff,  a  little  shorter 
than  the  height  of  human  form,  surmounted  with  an  ornamental  ball 
(///.  by  sculptures  of  Persepolis).  It  was  overlaid  with  gold,  or,  ace. 
To  Homer,  was  adorned  with  golden  studs  and  rings.  Its  origin  may 
be  found  in  the  pastoral  staff  of  the  shepherd,  or  the  staves  wh.,  at 
earliest  period,  were  carried  by  persons  in  high  rank  for  show  and 
ornament.  Saul's  sceptre  was  a  spear  (1  S.  xviii.  10,  xxii  6). 
Justin  relates  (xliii.  3)  that  in  anc.  times  kings  bore  a  spear  instead 
of  a  sceptre  (see  also  Ge.  xxxviii.  18  ;  Nu.  xvii.  7 ;  Ps.  xxiii.  4). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  Throne  ill.  regal 

power  ((je.  xli.  40,  cf.  Col.  i.  16);  government  (2  S.  iii.  10;  Ps.  ix.  7, 
lxxxix.  44,  xlvii.  1) ;  kingship  of  God  (Job  xxiii.  3 ;  Ex.  xvii.  16 ;  Is.  vi. 
1  ;  1  K.  xxii.  19).  ''It  is  represented  as  a  chariot  of  thunder,  drawn  by 
cherubim  (Ez.  i.  3,  et  scq.;  2  K.  xix.  15;  1  Ch.  xiii.  6;  Ps.  xviii.  11). 
Hence,  the  cherubim  placed  over  the  ark  of  the  covenant  represented  the 
throne  of  God,  as  the  ark  itself  was  His  footstool  "  (Ps.  xcix.  5,  exxxii. 
7;  1  Ch.  xxvii.  2).  (Talm.)  2.  Crown  ill.  the  wide  dominion  of  Jesus 
(Rev.  xix.  12).  In  the  papal  tiara,  or  triple  crown,  circlets  were  fr.  time 
to  time  added  to  it,  to  mark  the  successive  augmentations  of  power,  ill. 
the  kingship  of  the  saints  (2  Tim.  iv.  8;  Jas.  i.  12;  1  Pet.  v.  4;  Eev. 
ii.  10).  3.  Robe  ill.  purity  of  saints  (Rev.  vi.  11,  vii.  9)  ;  Divine  favour 
and  acceptance  (Lu.  xv.  22).  Human  contempt  of  the  royal  claims  of 
Jesus  (Lu.  xxiii.  11 ;  Jo.  xix.  2).  4.  Sceptre  ill.  dignity  and  authority, 
and  a  just  sceptre  =  just  government  (Ge.  xlix.  10;  Nu.  xxiv.  7;  Am.  i. 
5,  8;  Jer.  xlviii.  17  ;  Ps.  xlv.  6). 

III.  Practical  Hints.— The  crowns,  etc.,  of  earthly  kings  are 
corruptible :  those  of  the  saints  in  light  will  never  fade  away.  The  one 
often  won  by  wrong,  or  force,  and  may  be  wrested  by  superior  power ; 
the  other  secured  by  holiness  and  Divine  mercy,  and  never  lost.  Some 
■who  were  kings  are  now  in  exile,  their  descendants  living  in  private  life  ; 
compare  this  with  those  whom  God  crowns  [ill.  Queen  of  Spain,  Louis 
Philippe,  etc.)  Kings  may  become  poor  men,  and  poor  men  kings,  in 
heaven.     What  is  our  hope  ? 


[Addenda.— Crown  :  Tarquin  (b.c.  616)  the  first  Rom.  who  wore  a  c. 
Allred's  c.  (872)  had  two  bells  attached  to  it.  Athelstan's  (929)  was  like 
an  earl's  coronet.  Wdliam  I.  (1066)  wore  his  on  a  cap,  adorned  with 
points.  Richard  HI.  (1483)  intro.  the  crosses,  anu  Henry  VII.  (1485)  the 
arches.  Charlemangu's  said  to  have  been  of  iron.  Tiara  of  Tope  indicates 
civil,  and  keys  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction.  P.  Damascus  II.  hist  c.  with 
tiara  (1048).  John  XX.  surrounded  tiara  with  c.  (1276).  Boniface  VHI. 
added  a  second  (1295).  Benedict  XII.  formed  the  tiara  (ab.  1334).] 
Vol.  II.— 6 


78  TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


State  Officers  ]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Royal 

I.  Descriptive.—"  A  numerous  household  is,  to  this  day,  an 
indispensable  piece  of  regal  state  in  the  E.  Thus,  not  less  than 
2,000  persons  are  said  by  Mr.  Jowett  to  be  employed  ab.  the  palace 
of  the  emir  of  the  Druses.  "  We  saw  many  professions  and  trades 
going  on  in  it— soldiers,  horse-breakers,  carpenters,  blacksmiths, 
scribes,  cooks,  tobacconists,  etc.  There  was,  in  the  air  of  this 
mingled  assemblage,  something  wh.  forcibly  brought  to  my  recol- 
lection the  desc.  of  an  E.  ro\al  household,  as  given  by  Samuel  (1  S. 
viii.  11-17)"  (Quot.  in  T.  D.  C.)  Among  the  chief  personages  in 
the  royal  retinue  were — 1.  The  prime  minister,  or  vizier  (2  Ch.  xix. 
11,  cf.  xx viii  7).  2.  The  first  counsellor,  the  king's  friend,  or  inti- 
mate, or  favourite  (1  K.  iv.  5  ;  1  Ch.  xxvii.  33).  He  was  in  the 
secrets  of  the  king,  had  sometimes  the  oversight  of  the  palace,  and 
even  of  the  kingdom.  (John.)  3.  The  comptroller  of  the  household, 
or  governor  of  the  palace  =  to  the  stewards  of  rich  men.  He  had 
charge  of  the  servants  and  palace  affairs  (1  K.  iv.  6,  xviii.  3 ;  2  K. 
xviii.  18;  2  Ch.  xxviii.  7;  Is.  xxxvi.  3,  xxxvii.  2),  and  wore  as  a 
badge  of  office  a  peculiar  robe,  bound  with  a  precious  girdle,  and 
carried  on  his  shoulder  a  richly  ornamented  key  (Is.  xxii.  22). 
4.  The  keeper,  or  master,  of  the  wardrobe  (2  K.  x.  22,  xxii.  14; 
2  Ch.  xxiv.  22),  where  were  kept  the  garments  destined  by  the  king 
for  those  whom  he  designed  particularly  to  honour.  5.  The  scribe, 
or  secretary  (2  S.  viii.  16,  xx  24 ;  1  K.  iv.  3  ;  2  K.  xviii.  18,  37; 
1  Ch.  xviii.  15;  2  Ch.  xxxii.  8;  Is.  xxxvi.  3;  Est.  iii.  12,  vi.  1,  x.  2), 
who  committed  to  writing  the  edicts  of  king,  and  all  public  matters 
relating  to  the  state  ;  and  also  presented  to  the  king,  in  writing,  an 
ace.  of  the  state  of  affairs.  6.  The  captains  of  the  host  (2  S.  viii. 
16;  1  K.  iv.  4),  and  guard  (2  S.  viii.  18,  xx.  23).  7.  Purveyors  and 
storekeepers  (1  K.  iv.  7-19;  1  Ch.  xxvii.  25).  8.  Treasurer  (1  Ch. 
xxvii.  25).  9.  Overseers  of  tribute  (1  K.  iv.  6,  xii.  18) ;  of  lands 
(1  Ch.  xxvii.  26-28);  of  cattle  (1  S.  xxi.  7;  1  Ch.  xxvii.  29-31). 
10.  Armour-bearer  (1  S.  xvi.  21).  11.  Cup-bearer  (1  K.  x.  5 ;  2  Ch. 
ix.  4).  The  cup  was  washed  in  the  king's  presence,  and  when  filled, 
after  the  officer  had  tasted  a  little  of  the  wine,  wh.  he  poured  into 
his  left  hand,  was  presented  on  three  fingers.  (See  Xenophon,  Cyrop., 
i.  3.)  So  no  mod.  Eastern  attendant  ever  grasps  any  vessel  he  offers 
to  his  master,  but  places  it  on  his  left  hand,  and  steadies  it  with  his 
right.  (T.  B.  K.)  The  c. -bearer  was  an  officer  of  great  dignity, 
as  the  butler  of  Pharaoh  (Ge.  xl.,  xli.  9).  Iiabsbakeh,  as  his  name 
indicates,  was  C.-b.  to  king  of  Assyria  (2  K.  xviii.  17).  Nehemiah, 
a  man  of  wealth  (Neh.  v.  14-19),  held  the  same  post  under  Arta- 
xerxes  (Neh.  i.  11,  ii.  1).  12.  The  king's  life-guard:  Heb.,  Cherrthifes 
=  extirpators  [called  by  Egyptians  and  Babyl  nians  executioners'], 
"  derived  their  name  fr.  the  iact  that  they  were  the  persons  whose 
business  it  was  1o  execute  the  sentence  of  death  when  it  had  been 
pronounced  by  the  king  "—Jahn    (Ge.  xxxvii.  3(3,  xxxix.  1;2L 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  79 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [State  Officers. 

xxv.  8,  x.  11-20;  2  S.  xx.  23).  In  time  of  David  they  were  called 
pelethites  =  the  expeditious.  Before  and  aft.  that  time  they  were 
called  runners;  "for  although  they  were  soldiers,  and  it  was  their 
particular  business  to  guard  the  palace,  they  were  nevertheless 
employed  to  transmit  the  royal  laws  and  edicts  to  distant  places,  to 
run  before  the  king's  chariot  as  a  part  of  his  retinue,  and  likewise,  as 
we  have  no  reason  to  doubt,  when  the  king  walked  out  with  his 
wives,  to  drive  the  multitude  fr.  the  way,  a  custom  that  still  prevails 
in  the  E."— John.  (2  S.  xv.  1 ;  IK.  xiv.  27 ;  2  K.  x.  14.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— How  inferior  all  this 

to  the  retinue  of  the  heavenly  King,  and  the  splendours  of  His  court 
(Rev.  v.  9-14,  etc.)  Considered  a  great  honour  to  stand  before  kings: 
how  much  greater  to  serve  King  of  kings  !  Earthly  pomp  and  pageantry 
will  soon  pass  away, 

"  And,  like  the  baseless  fabric  of  this  vision, 
The  cloud-capp'd  towers,  the  gorgeous  palaces, 
The  solemn  temples,  the  great  globe  itself, 
Yea,  all  which  it  inherit,  shall  dissolve, 
And,  like  this  insubstantial  pageant  faded, 
Leave  not  a  rack  behind.     We  are  such  stuff 
As  dreams  are  made  on ;  and  our  little  life 
Is  rounded  with  a  sleep."  (Shakspcare.) 

The  glories  of  the  heavenly  palace  and  city  of  the  great  King  are  eternal. 
The  favourites  of  earthly  kings  often  ill  chosen,  and  soon  removed 
(Haman). 

"  O,  how  wretched 
Is  that  poor  man  that  hangs  on  princes'  favours  ! 
There  is  betwixt  that  smile  we  would  aspire  to, 
That  sweet  aspect  of  princes  and  their  ruin, 
More  pangs  and  fears  than  wars  or  women  have ; 
And  when  he  falls,  he  falls  like  Lucifer, 
Never  to  hope  again."  (Shakspeare.) 

Not  so  the  favourites  of  God  : 

"  Nor  death  nor  hell  shall  e'er  remove 

His  chosen  from  His  breast ; 

Sate  in  the  mansions  of  His  love 

They  must  for  ever  rest."  [Watts.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — The  meanest  servant  of  God  more  to  be 
envied  than  the  greatest  courtiers  (Ps.  lxxxiv.  10).  Those  who  serve 
Him  faithfully  here  will  be  presently  exalted.  Have  you  entered  His 
service  ?    He  still  invites  you  to  work  for  Him. 


[Addenda. — Chancellor,  from  eancellarius,  a  door-keeper,  who  admitted 
visitors  into  the  presence  of  the  sovereign.  The  Lord  High  Chancellor  of 
England  ranks  alter  princes  of  the  blood-royal  as  the  first  lay  subject. 
Anc.  the  office  was  conferred  on  some  great  ecclesiastic.  Herefast,  chap- 
lain to  Will.  I.,  and  Bp.  of  Elmham,  was  c.  in  1067.] 


80 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Palaces.] 


MAXXEIiS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Boyal 


mm 


I.  Descriptive.— In  the  o.  t.  palace  =  all  the  buildings  and 
gardens  within  the  enclosure  surrounding  the  royal  dwelling 
(2  Ch.  xxxvi.  19,  cf.  Ps.  xlviii.  4,  exxii.  7  ;   Pr.  ix.  3,  xviii.  19  ;  Is. 

xxiii.  1 3,  xxv.  2 ;  Jer. 

fc  xxii.  14  ;  Am.  i.  7,  12, 

^T-^'y    14  ;  Nah.  ii.  6).     In 

"■/    .._ . '  '->]•  i    the  N.  T.  it= the  ahode 

IHfllftji      of  a  man  of  rank  (Mat. 

E3ft:    xxvi.  3;  Mk.  xiv.  66; 

iSl^MJ^^^    ^u.  xi.  21 ;  Is.  xviii. 

BIfililggp:--  -J    15)-      0)    The  palace 

\  S|jl    of  Solomon  the  most 

I  ^,-\     *       f "-"fr  ■f|||y|    interesting    of    those 

'   r    n\  Bgrlt/i^v.  -^^^sll§   named  in  Bible  (1  Iv. 

^4^,ml-4f||  |   vii.   1-12,  cf  J.  Aut., 

5,  1,  2).  It  took  13 
yrs.  in  building.  On 
entering  we  stand  in 
the  part  called  "  the 
house  of  the  forest  of 
Interior  Court  of  Oriental  Palace.  Lebanon,"  prob.  built 

of  cedar-wood,  the  audience  chamber  hung  round  with  armour 
(1  K.  x.  16,  17),  called  in  Tarquin  "the  house  of  the  cooling  of  the 
king  :  "  it  was  100  cub.  long,  50  bd.,  30  hg.  It  was  larger,  and  as 
high  as  the  temple  (vi.  2).  Area  of  this  hall  surrounded  by  4  rows 
of  cedar  pillars  (vii.  2,  3).  It  was  "  a  large  central  hall,  open  in  the 
centre  to  the  sky,  the  floor  of  which  was  surrounded  with  four  rows 
of  pillars,  affording  a  promenade,  above  which  were  three  tiers  of 
galleries  open  to  the  interior,  divided  ea.  into  15  compartments,  like 
boxes  in  a  theatre,  but  with  doors  communicating  with  ea.  other." 
(K.  B.  C.)  Beyond  this  great  hall  was  a  portico  of  pillars  (v.  6), 
forming  a  colonnade  conducting  to  the  palace  proper,  where  was 
first  the  throne-room  or  hall  of  judgment,  and  afterwards  the  private 
apartments.  The  house  for  Pharaoh's  dau.  would  prob.  be  some 
portion  of  this  part  of  the  great  palace.  (2)  Shushan  (Est.  i.  2,  5) 
prob.  =  the  quarter  of  the  city  where  the  royal  residence  was. 
(3)  "  The  Palace"  (Phil.  i.  13)  must  have  been  the  barrack  of  the 
Praetorian  guard  attached  to  the  Emperor's  palace.  (4)  The  Prcsto- 
rium  (Mk.  xv.  16)  was  Herod's  palace  at  Jerusalem  {J.  Bell,  v.  4,  4), 
occupied  by  the  Roman  governor. 

II.  Bible  References  to  Palaces. — Jerusalem  famous  for 
palatial  buildings  (Ps.  xlviii.  3,  13).  Palace  =  abode  of  kings  (Dan. 
iv.  4,  vi.  18) ;  of  great  men  (Am.  iii.  9  ;  Mic.  v.  5) ;  temple  of  God 
(1  Ch.  xxix.  1,  19) ;  house  of  h. -priest  (Mat.  xxvi.  58) ;  described  as 
high  (Ps.  lxxviii.  69),  polished  (Ps.  cxliv.  12),  pleasant  (Isa.  xiii.  22) ; 
P.  of  kings  called  King's  house  <2  Iv.  xxv.  9  ;  2  Ch.  vii.  11),  housu 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  81 


Life.]  MANNBRS  axd  customs.  [Palaces. 

of  kingdom  (2  Ch.)  ;  kind's  palace  (Est.  i.  5),  and  royal  house  (9)  ; 
was  splendidly  furnished  (6),  surrounded  with  gardens* (5),  with  ter- 
races (2  Ch.  ix.  11);  under  governors  (1  K.  iv.  0;  Neh.  vii.  2)  ; 
attended  by  eunuehs  (2  K.  xx.  18;  Dan.  i.  3,  4) ;  guarded  (2  K.  xi.  5) ; 
decrees  issued  fr.  (Est.  iii.  15,  viii.  14),  and  laid  up  in  (vi.  2)  ;  con- 
tained king's  treasures  (1  K  xv.  IS  ;  2  Ch.  xii.  9,  xxv.  24) ;  gorgcus 
dresses  suited  to  (Lu.  vii.  25)  ;  entered  by  gates  (Neh.  ii.  S)  ;  often 
storehouses  of  plunder  (Am.  iii.  10).  As  a  punishment,  spoiled 
(Am.  iii.  11) ;  forsaken  (Is.  xxxii.  14) ;  desolate  (Ps.  lxix.  25,  marg. ; 
Ez.  xix.  7);  scenes  of  bloodshed  (Jer.  ix.  21);  burned  (2  Ch. 
xxxvi.  19  ;  Jer.  xvii.  27)  ;  ruinous  (Is.  xiii.  22,  xxxiv.  13). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Our  dwellings  maj 
not  suffice  to  contain  the  bulky  furniture  of  a  mansion ;  yet  may  they 
contain  happiness  enough  to  stock  a  palace. 

"Mid  pleasures  and  palaces  though  we  may  roam, 
Be  it  ever  so  humble,  there's  no  place  like  home."  (/.  H.  Payne.) 

Ordinary  houses  become  palaces  when  made  the  dwelling-places  of  rovalty : 
our  home  may  become  a  palace  if  the  Great  King  dwell  with  us.  "  When 
the  king  removes  the  court,  and  all  the  carriages  follow  after,  and  when 
they  are  gone,  the  hangings  are  taken  down  ;  nothing  is  left  behind  but 
bare  walls,  dust,  and  rubbish.  So,  if  God  remove  fr.  a  man  or  a  nation, 
-where  he  kept  His  court,  His  graces  will  not  stay  behind;  and  if  tiny 
be  gone,  farewell  peace,  farewell  comfort ;  down  go  the  hangings  of  all 
prosperity  ;  nothin?  is  left  behind  but  confusion  and  disorder."  [Sfaughton, 
quot.  in  Spencer's  New  and  Old,  91).  p.  ill.  (1)  The  splendour  of  the  Church 
(Song  viii.  9),  built  up  of  polished  stones  (Ps.  cxliv.  12),  adorned  with 
treasures  of  Divine  art — contributions  fr.  many  lands — many  servants 
(min  isters,  etc.) — spacious — firm — provision — guests — court  days — abode 
of  Great  King— habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit.  (2)  The  magnificence 
of  heaven.  "  My  Father's  house."  His  throne  is  in  the  heavens.  (See 
Jlvaven.) 


'  0  one,  0  only  mansion, 
O  paradise  of  joy, 
Where  tears  are  ever  banished, 
And  joys  have  no  alloy  ! 
Thy  ageless  walls  are  radiant 
With  precious  stones  empriced ; 
The  saints  built  up  its  fabric ; 
The  corner-stone  is  Christ. 


They  stand,  those  halls  of  Zion, 
All  jubilant  with  song ; 
And  bright  with  many  an  angel, 
And  many  a  martyr  throng. 
The  Prince  is  ever  in  them, 
The  light  is  aye  serene  ; 
The  pastures  of  the  blessed 
Are  decked  in  glorious  sheen." 

{Bernard  of  Clugny.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — I.  Is  our  house  a  palace  ?  Does  the  King 
of  kings  dwell  with  us  ?  2.  The  soul  may  be  a  palace ;  made  so  hy 
furniture  and  occupant.  3.  Are  we  preparing  to  enter  the  palace  of 
heaven  ?  Earthly  palaces  may  be  denied  (Pr.  xxx.  28) ;  the  heavenly  palace 
never. 


82  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Armour,  No.  1.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  (.Warrior 

I.  Descriptive.— Though  familiar  with  weapons,  etc.,  of  Gks., 
Roms.,  Assyrians,  etc.,  from  sculptures  and  paintings,  as  well  as 
writings,  none  used  by  Hebs.  have  yet  been  disc,  nor  is  any  sculp- 
ture known  to  exist  on  which  their 
arms   are   depicted.     The   Bible,  and 
comparison   with    military   affairs   of 
neighbouring  nations,  our  only  sources 
of  information.     Chief  parts  of  armour 
V  1  I  /  lIF  rlr^SJ  named  are— 1.  [Coat  of  Mail]  [mail, 

\\\\  \i^-M  \wjSJ   lit-*  a  mesh,  hence  prop,  chain  armour]: 

kmWh^fils&Sbri^   (l)  of  skins;  (2)  aft-  of  thick  leatller> 

sometimes  padded  ;  to  which  Mas  aft. 
added  (3)  a  solid  plate  of  metal ;  the 
padding  then  protected  the  wearer  fr. 
being  galled  by  his  harness  (1  K:  xx.  11  ;  2  Ch.  xviii.  .33),  as  the 
armour  is  sometimes  styled.  This  coat  is  occasionally  called  a 
habergeon,  Heb.,  techera  (Ex.  xxviii.  32,  xxxix.  23;  2  Ch.  xxvi.  It  ; 
Is.  lix.  17 ;  but  the  meaning  is  doubtful  in  Job  xli.  26).  To  make  it 
more  flexible,  the  metal  was  put  on  in  small  pieces,  like  scales  of 
fish :  such  was  Goliath's  coat  (1  S.  xvii.  5,  where  read,  "  a  coat  of 
mail  of  scales ").  Ahab,  also,  wore  a  mailed  coat  (1  K.  xxii.  34). 
The  coat  of  M.  is  also  called  a  brigandine  (Jer.  xlvi.  4,  li.  3). 
2;  [Girdle.]  Heb.,  izor,  not  only  to  hold  a  weapon,  but  piece  of  armour: 
leather  studded  with  metal  bosses;  oft;  richly  ornamented.  The 
gift  of  girdle  by  one  warrior  to  another  a  token  of  highest  regard 
(1  S.  ix.  4;  2  S.  xviii.  11).  [When  Hector  and  Ajax  exchanged 
gifts,  the  girdle  was  among  them.]  3.  [Greaves]  (1  S.  xvii.  6,  and 
Is.  ix.  5,  should  be — "every  greave  of  him  that  weareth  greaves"), 
boots,  without  feet,  made  of  stout  leather,  or  metal.  4.  [Shield.] 
Several  kinds ;  Heb.,  tsinnah  z=  the  great  shield  [fig.,  defence,  pro- 
tection (Ge.  xv.  1;  Ps.  xlvn\  9;  Pr.  xxx.  5)]  (1  K.  x.  16,  xiv.  26, 
27),  usually  connected  with  spear,  and  was  prob.  used  by  heavy- 
armed  infantry.  Macjen  —  buckler  (1  Ch.  v.  18;  Ez.  xxvi.  8), 
connected  with  sword  and  bow,  etc. ;  prob.  used  by  light-armed 
infantry  and  chiefs.  Sohairah  =  &  roundel,  used  by  archers  and 
slingers.  The  s.  was  gen.  made  of  light  but  tough  wood,  covered 
with  two  or  more  thicknesses  of  bull-hide,  and  bordered  with  metal. 
In  time  of  peace  the  s.  was  covered  to  protect  fr.  sun:  the  uncovering 
of  s.  denoted  coming  hostilities  (Is.  sxii.  6).  ss.  wholly  of  brass  not 
very  common,  but  ss.  covered  with  thin  plates  of  brass,  and  even  of 
silver  and  gold,  are  often  mentioned  (1  K.  x.  16,  17;  2  Ch.  ix.  14,  15). 
There  was  a  boss  in  the  centre;  the  handle  was  sometimes  of  metal, 
but  more  oft.  of  leather.  In  time  of  peace  they  were  hung  up  in 
armouries  (Song  iv.  4),  and  sometimes  suspended  as  an  ornament  on 
the  walls  of  towers  (Ez.  xxvii.  10,  11).  The  ss.  borne  by  Heb. 
soldiers  app.  to  have  been  supported  by  a  thong,  wh.  went  round 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  83 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Armour,  No.  1. 

the  Left  arm  and  the  neck  (1  Ch.  v.  18,  xii.  8,  24;  2^Ch.  xiv.  8). 
When  attacking  an  enemy  in  a  body,  they  held  their  s.  In  left  hand, 
and  joined  them  so  as  to  present,  as  it  were,  a  wall  against  the 
weapons  of  the  foe.  When  scaling  walls  of  a  city,  they  placed 
them  one  against  another  over  their  heads.  To  lose  a  s.  in  battle 
was  a  disgrace  :  to  take  one  fr.  the  enemy  was  esteemed  an  honour 
(2  S.  i.  21  ;  1  K.  xiv.  26).  5.  [Helmet]  (1  S.  xvii.  5,  38;  2  Ch. 
xxvi.  16);  at  first  of  a  beehive  shape,  made  of  osier;  aft.  of  skins, 
then  of  many-folded  cloth.  The  koba  was  prob.  of  brass,  fitted  wi. 
lappets  to  cov.  the  back  of  head  and  ears.  Light  infantry  had  prob. 
skull-caps  of  felt,  or  quilted  stuffs.  "  The  royal  helmet  in  Egypt 
had  a  crest ;  those  of  Asia  Minor  were  also  sometimes  crested ;  and 
it  is  therefore  not  improb.  that  the  crest  was  used  by  the  Hebrews, 
though  we  have  no  mention  of  it  in  the  Scriptures."  ( T.  B.  C.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Arms. — Made  of  iron,  steel,  or  brass 
(Jub  xx.  24 ;  IS.  xvii.  5,  6);  not  worn  in  ordinary  (1  S.  xxi.  8) ;  put  on 
at  lirst  alarm  (Is.  viii.  9  ;  Jer.  xlvi.  3,  4).  Armouries  built  for  (2  K.  xx. 
13;  Song  iv.  4);  stores  of  provided  (2  Ch.  xxxii.  5).  Were  provided 
sometimes  by  individuals  themselves  (1  Ch.  xii.  33,  37) ;  sometimes  fr. 
public  stores  (2  Ch.  xi.  12,  xxvi.  14) ;  often  given  as  presents  (1  K.  x.  25). 
Before  using  were  tried  (1  S.  xvii.  39)  ;  burnished  (Jer.  xlvi.  4  ;  Ez.  xxi. 
9-11,  28);  anointed  (Is.  xxi.  5)  ;  part  of  carried  by  A.-bearers  (Jud.  ix. 
54  ;  1  S.  xiv.  1,  xvi.  21).  Of  the  vanquished  taken  off  (2  S.  ii.  21  ;  Lu 
xi.  22)  ;  kept  as  trophies  (1  S.  xvii.  54),  or  burned  (Ez.  xxxix.  9,  10) ;  of 
conquered  peoples  taken  away  to  prevent  rebellion  (Jud.  v.  8 ;  IS. 
xiii.  19-22). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— III.  spiritual  armour 
(Horn.  xiii.  12),  "armour  of  light,"  wherewith  to  fight  a  battle  that,  be- 
cause for  truth  and  godliness,  may  be  fought  openly  (not  as  those  who 
love  darkness  rather  than  light,  their  deeds  being  evil),  and  by  the  children 
of  light.  2  Cor.  vi.  7 :  "a.  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left" — a  complete  covering,  not  an  imperfect  integrity,  following  the  Lord 
fully.  Ep.  vi.  11,  13:  ''  Whole  armour,"  not  a  part-thoroughness ;  "of 
God,"  its  Maker  and  Giver,  and  for  whom  we  fight.  14 :  Loins,  etc. ; 
a  girdle  of  truth  to  strengthen  the  wearer,  and  hold  rest  of  a.  together. 
Breastplate,  righteousness,  to  be  worn  in  front,  in  sight,  near  the  heart. 
15 :  If  possible,  keep  peace  (Eo.  xii.  18),  and  when  you  fight,  let  it  be  to 
establish  peace.  16  :  /Shield  of  faith,  impervious  to  all  casuistry  and  darts 
— even  fiery  ones — of  temptation.  17:  Helmet  of  salvation.  Salvation 
to  be  rejoiced  in,  and  worn  as  a  defence  and  crown  (1  Thes.  v.  8). 
Kote. — No  defence  for  the  back.  Soldiers  of  Christ  safe  while  they  pre- 
sent a  bold  front  to  the  foe :  their  retreat  not  contemplated. 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Spiritual  foes  need  spiritual  armour. 
2.  Wisdom  better  than  common  weapons  (Ecc.  ix.  IS).  _  3.  God's  armour 
the  best.  4.  Put  on  the  whole  of  it,  and  while  wearing  it,  watch  and 
pray  (Ep.  vi.  18).  Be  not  presumptuous,  even  when  thus  defended. 
6.  i>j  not  boast  till  the  victory  is  won  (1  K.  xx.  11).  6  And  then  we 
shall  triumph  in  Him  who  secures  the  victory  for  us  (Ro.  viii.  37). 


84 


TOPICS    FOB   TEACHERS. 


"Weapons,  No.  1.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


["Warrior 


I.  Descriptive.— 1.  [Sword.]  One  of  the  earliest  ws.  in  use; 
mentioned  at  very  begin,  of  Bible  (Ge.  iii.  24,  xxxi.  26,  xxxiv.  25,  26); 
a  w.  so  com.  as  to  become  a  synonym  for  war  (Ez.  xiv.  17).  The  Heb. 
sword  was  short  and  light.  Goliath's 
not  very  heavy,  for  David  could  use  it. 
It  was  pointed  (Ez.  xxi.  15) ;  two- 
edged  (Ps.  cxlix.  6);  sharp  (Ps  lvii.  4); 
bright  (Deu.  xxxii.  41;  Job  xx.  25; 
Nah.  iii.  3);  had  sheath  (1  Ch.  xxi.  27; 
Jer.  xlvii.  6  ;  Ez.  xxi.  3-5) ;  hung  fr. 
girdle  (1  S.  xvii.  39 ;  2  S.  xx.  8 ;  Neh, 
iv.  18  ;  Ps  xlv.  3)  ;  used  by  patriarchs 
(Ge.  xxxiv.  25,  xlviii.  22) ;  Jews  (Jud. 
xx.  2  ;  2  S.  xxiv.  9)  ;  heathens  (Jud. 
vii.  22)  ;  in  executions  (1  S.  xv.  33  ; 
Ac.  xii.  2).  [Sword,  lit.  the  w.  for 
defending.  A.-S.,  sweord  ;  Ice.,  sverd  ; 
Ger.  schwert,  fr.  wehren,  to  defend.] 
2.  [Spear.]  Heb.  romach  ;  of  var. 
size,  etc.,  of  wood  (1  S.  xvii.  7),  with 
metal  head  (]  S.  xvii.  7,  p/.  2  S  xxi. 
16),  and  metal  point  at  but-end  to  fix 
in  ground  (2  S.-ii.  22,  23)  ;  metal  head 
polished  (Job  xxxix.  23  ;  Hab.  iii.  11) ; 
those  who  used,  spearmen  (Ps.  lxviii. 
30;  Ac.  xxiii.  23)  ;  oft.  horse  soldiers 
(Nah.  iii.  3).  3.  [javelin.]  Heb. 
chanith ;  a  lighter  spear  or  dart  for 
throwing,  used  by  light  troops  (1  S. 
xiii.  22  ;  Ps.  xxxv.  3)  ;  the  kidon  of 
same  nature,  but  heavier  (Job  xxxix.  23, 
xli.  29  ;  Jos.  viii.  18).  Saul  by  casting 
one  at  David  (1  S.  xix.  9,  10)  absolved 
him  fr.  allegiance;  for,  by  anc.  custom, 
to  throw  a  dart  at  a  freedman  who  escaped  by  flight,  was  token  of 
manumission.  He  was  thereby  sent  out  of  hand— "  scot-free."  "  But 
for  this  act  of  Saul,  David  might  have  been  viewed  as  a  rebel." 
(AT.  B.  C.)  4.  [Battle-axe;  or  Mace,  or  Club.]  At  first  of  rude 
make,  and  thrown.  A  throw-stick  still  used  by  Arabs,  called  the 
lissau ;  anc.  known  to  us  as  crooked-billet,  answering  to  bomerang 
of  Australian  aborigines.  The  N.  American  Indians  still  throw  the 
tomahawk.  Ez.  xxvi.  9  ;  Jer.  li.  20  :  "  rod  of  iron  "  (Ps.  ii.  9)  = 
prob.  the  mace.  The  maul ;  Heb.  maphietz  (Pr.  xxv.  18)  =  prob. 
the  war-hammer.  5.  [Bow.]  Heb.  Jcesheth,  and  Arrows,  hhitzim. 
At  first  made  of  reed,  branch  of  tree ;  aft.  longer,  and  of  brass,  or 
wood  backed  with  horn,  wholly  of  horn,  or  of  ivory,  shaped  like 


•€»*- 


Bow,  Arrow,  Spear,  etc. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACUER8.  85 

Life-]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Weapons,  No.  1. 

English  bow  ;  or,  esp.  by  riding  nations,  like  horns  of  buffalo  (see  cut). 
Used  in  hunting  (Ge.  xxvii.  3)  ;  in  war  (xlviii.  22  ;  Isa.  vii.  24) ;  for 
shooting  arrows  (1  Ch.  xii.  2,  mar;/.),  called  battle-bow  (Zee.  ix.  10, 
x.  4) ;  used  by  bowmen  (Jer.  iv.  29),  archers  (1  S.  xxxi.  3,  tnarg.; 
Jer.  li.  3)  ;  made  sometimes  of  steel  (2  S.  xxii.  35;  Job  xx.  24)  ; 
held  in  left  hand  (Hz.  xxxix.  3)  ;  drawn  with  force  (2  K.  x.  24)  ; 
used  by  Lydians  (Jer.  xlvi.  9)  ;  Elamites  (xlix.  35)  ;  Philistines 
(1  S.  xxxi.  2,  3) ;  Benjamites  (1  Ch.  xii.  2  ;  2  Ch.  xiv.  8)-;  given  as 
sign  of  friendship  (1  S.  xviii.  4)  ;  furnished  by  state  (2  Ch.  xxvi.  14) ; 
of  conquered,  destroyed  (Ps.  xxxvii.  15  ;  Eze.  xxxix.  4).  Arrows 
for  long  range  of  reed,  sometimes  feathered,  tipped  with  flint.  For 
short  range,  wood,  headed  with  metal;  30  in.  long,  with  3  feathers, 
like  those  now  used.  6.  [ Sling.]  Heb.  kela  (Job  xii.  28) ;  of  plaited 
thongs,  broad  in  middle  to  hold  stone  (1  S.  xxv.  29).  Stones  were 
cast  (2  Ch.  xxvi.  14)  400  feet ;  lumps  of  lead  600  feet.  David  used 
s.  (1  S.  xvii.  40,  50)  ;  those  who  used,  called  slingers  (2  K.  iii.  25) ; 
the  Benjamites  very  skilful  with  s.  (Jud.  xx.  16). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Analogies.— [s word.]  111.  Word 
of  God  (Ep.  vi.  17,  cf.  Heb.  iv.  12) ;  of  Christ  (Is.  xlix.  2,  cf.  Eev.  i.  16). 
Divine  justice  (Deu.  xxxii.  41  ;  Zee.  xiii.  7)  and  protection  (Deu.  xxxiii. 
29)  ;  of  war  and  strife  (Mat.  x.  34)  ;  great  calamities  (Ez.  v.  2,  17,  xiv. 
17,  xxi.  9)  ;  mental  anguish  (Lu.  ii.  35)  ;  of  wicked  (Ps.  xvii.  13);  their 
tongue  (lvii.  4,  lxiv.  3  ;  Pr.  xii.  18)  ;  their  persecuting  spirit  (Ps.  xxxvii. 
14)  ;  their  end  (Pr.  v.  4)  ;  false  witnesses  (xxv.  18)  ;  judicial  authority 
(Ro.  xiii.  4).  Drawing  the  s.  =  war,  etc.  (Lev.  xxvi.  33  ;  Ez.  xxi.  3-5)  ; 
sheathing  =  peace,  etc.  (Jer.  xlvii.  6)  ;  living  by  s.  ■=.  rapine  (Ge.  xxvii. 
40).  [Spear.]  III.  the  bitterness  of  the  wicked  (Ps.  lvii.  4).  [Mace.] 
III.  Divine  power  and  dest.  of  wicked  (Ps.  ii.  9).  [Bow.]  III.  power 
(Job  xxix.  20)  ;  tongue  of  ungodly  (Ps.  xi.  2 ;  Jer.  ix.  3)  ;  deceitful  b.  = 
hypocrite ;  does  not  shoot  straight,  arms  fly  back  and  strike  the  shooter 
(Ps.  lxxviii.  57  ;  Hos.  vii.  16)  ;  broken  b.  =  overthrow  of  power  (1  S.  ii.  4  ; 
Jer.  xlix.  35  ;  Hos.  i.  5,  ii.  18).  [Arrow.]  III.  of  Christ  (Is.  xlix.  2)  ;  His 
Word  (Ps.  xiv.  5)  ;  Divine  judgments  (Deu.  xxxii.  23-42  ;  Ps.  vii.  13, 
xxi.  12,  lxiv.  7  ;  Ez.  v.  16)  ;  afflictions  (Job  vi.  4  ;  Ps.  xxxviii.  2) ;  bitter 
words  (lxiv.  3)  ;  slander  (Jer.  ix.  8)  ;  false  witnesses  (Pr.  xxv.  18) ;  wicked 
devices  (Ps.  xi.  2) ;  children  (Ps.  exxvii.  4)  ;  lightning  (Ixxvii.  17,  18  ;  Hab. 
iii.  11)  ;  broken  a.  =:  power  destroyed  (Ps.  Lxxvi.  3)  ;  a.  falling  fr.  hand 
=  power  paralysed  (Ez.  xxxix.  3).  [Sling.]  Ill-  The  force  with  which 
God  will  scatter  the  wicked  (1  S.  xxv.  29) ;  honour  thrown  away  by  fools 
(Pr.  xxvi.  8). 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Our  weapons  not  carnal  (2  Cor.  x.  4). 
2.  Seek  to  be  skilful  in  use  of  "  sword  of  Spirit  "  (Ep.  vi.  17)  in  parrying 
temptation,  and  transfixing  or  decapitating  sin  and  error.  3.  Prepare  for 
last  attack  of  Death — the  mighty  archer.  4.  With  shield  of  faith  guard 
against  the  fiery  darts  of  temptation,  and  the  poisoned  arrows  of  seductive 
speech. 

"  The  devil  hath  not,  in  all  his  quiver's  choice, 
An  arrow  for  the  heart  like  a  sweet  voice."     {Byron.) 


86  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Chariots-]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Warrior 

I.  Descriptive. — Chariots  were  used  both  for  state  and  for  war 
(also  in  the  national  games — c.  races).  Prob.  the  same  kind  was 
employed    for  both  purposes,  since  the  word  merchabah,  wh.  (Ge. 

xlvi.  29 ;  1  S.  viii.  11  ;  2  S.  xv.  1)  = 
state-c,  is  evidently  in  other  places 
(as  Ex.  xv.  4  ;  Joel  ii.  5)  =  to  ivar-c, 
while  it  is  also  used  to  include  cs.  of 
every  kind  (Is.  ii.  7).  Just  as  with  us, 
before  the  founding  of  a  national  navy, 
merchant  vessels  were  equipped  for 
war;  so  prob.  at  first  ordinary  c,  with 
extra  fittings,  were  employed  in  war. 
Although  the  invention  of  Cs.  is  as- 
cribed to  Ericthonius  of  Athens  (1486 
Ancient  War-Chariot.  B.C.),    it   is   clear    that    the    Egyptians 

had  them  at  an  earlier  date.  They  consisted  "of  a  light  pole, 
suspended  betw.  and  on  the  withers  of  a  pair  of  horses,  the  after  end 
resting  on  a  light  axletree,  with  two  low  wheels.  Upon  the  axle 
stood  a  light  frame,  open  behind,  and  floored,  for  the  warrior  and 
his  charioteer,  who  both  stood  -within  :  on  the  sides  of  the  frame 
hung  the  war-bow,  in  its  case  ;  a  large  quiver  with   arrows,   and 

darts  had  commonly   a  particular  sheath In  fighting  fir.  cs. 

great  dextei'ity  was  shown  by  the  warrior,  not  only  in  handling  his 
weapons,  but  also  in  stepping  out  upon  the  pole  to  the  horses' 
shoulders,  in  order  the  better  to  attain  his  enemies,  and  the  charioteer 
was  an  important  person,  sometimes  equal  in  rank  to  the  warrior 
himself."    {K  B.  C.) 

II.  Bible  References.— Cs.  for  travelling  (Ge.  xlvi.  29) ;  for 
war  (1  K.  xx.  25).  Tfar-Cs.  were  armed  with  iron  scythes,  pro- 
jecting laterally  from  the  centre  of  wheels,  to  maim  the  enemy 
(Jos.  xvii.  16;  Jud.  i.  19);  at  night  lighted  with  torches  (Nab.,  ii.  3); 
commanded  by  captains  (Ex.  xiv.  7;  IK.  xvi.  9);  most  advantageous 
in  a  flat  country  (Jud.  i.  19;  1  K.  xx.  23-25) ;  formed  part  of  line  of 
battle  (1  K.  xx.  25);  used  in  pursuing  enemies  (Ex.  xiv.  9;  2  S.  i.  6): 
were  kept  in  c.-cities  (1  K.  ix.  19,  x.  26).  Ware,  used  by  Egyptians 
(Ex.  xiv.  "7  ;  2  K.  xviii.  24);  Canaanites  (Jos.  xvii.  16;  Jud.  iv.  3) ; 
Philistines  (1  S.  xiii.  5);  Syrians  (2  S.  x.  18;  1  K.  xx.  1);  Assyrians 
(2  K.  xix.  23);  Ethiopians  (2  Ch.  xiv.  9,  xvi.  8)  ;  Babylonians  (Ez. 
xxiii.  24,  xxvi.  7)  ;  Jews  (2  K.  viii.)  ;  kings  rode  in  to  battle 
(1  K.  xxii.  35),  and  used  in  common  (1  K,  xii.  18,  xviii.  44) ;  also 
used  by  distinguished  persons  (Ge.  xli.  43;  2  K.  v.  9,  21;  Jer. 
xvii.  25  ;  Ac.  viii.  28  ;  see  C.  D.  N.  T.,  226)  ;  often  attended  by 
running  footmen  (1  S.  viii.  11  ;  2  S.  xv.  1  ;  1  K.  i.  5)  [our  roads 
were  ill-made,  when  carriages  were  first  intro.  in  this  country 
(ab.  1555  A.D.)  ;  hence  men  ran  by  the  side  with  long  poles  to  insert 
beneath  a  cornice  projecting  fr.  the  roof,  to  prevent  the  carriage  fr. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  87 

Life.l  MANNERS  ASD  CUSTOMS.  [Chariots. 

turning  over.  Hence  the  origin  of  the  servant  railed  the  footman, 
and  of  the  staff  he  carries  on  state  occasions].  Were  consecrated  to 
the  sun  (2  K.  xxiii.  11).  "Wheels  desc.  (1  K.  vii.  33)  ;  bound  with 
traces  (Mic.  i.  13)  ;  drawn  by  horses  (2  K.  x.  2  ;  Song  i.  9)  ;  asses 
and  camels  (Is.  xxi.  7)  ;  value  of  in  time  of  Sol.  (1  K.  x.  29). 
Charioteers  employed  (1  K.  xxii.  34)  ;  driven  by  owner  (2  K.  ix.  16, 
20);  driven  furiously  (2  K.  ix.  20  ;  Is.  v.  28;  Jer.  iv.  13)  ;  bounding 
motion  (Xah.  iii.  2)  ;  made  a  noise  (2  K.  vii.  6 ;  Joel  ii.  5 ;  Nah. 
iii.  2  ;  Rev.  ix.  9).  Intro,  into  Israel  by  David  (2  S.  viii.  4) ;  in- 
creased by  Sol.  (1  K.  x.  26),  who  imported  them  fr.  Egypt  (1  K.  x. 
28,  29).  The  Jews  were  censured  for  multiplying  them  (Is.  ii.  7),  and 
trusting  in  them  (Is.  xxii.  18,  xxxi.  1);  destroved  when  taken  in 
battle  (Jos.  xi.  6,  9;  Jer.  Ii.  21 ;  Mich.  v.  10;  Nah.  ii.  13). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— cs.  ill.  l— the  clouds; 

move  rapidly,  majestically,  let  fall  showers— largess  of  our  bountiful 
Benefactor ;  scatter  lightnings  (see  Arrow),  and  deal  destruction,  etc. 
(Ps.  civ.  3).  2.  Judgments  of  God — numerous,  invincible,  swift  to  over- 
take ungodly,  and  defend  the  good  (Is.  lxvi.  15).  3.  Angels  (2  K.  vi.  16, 
17,  cf.  Ps.  lxviii.  17);  hence  Milton  describes  the  battle  of  the  angela 
(lJar.  Lost,  vi.  209)  :  — 

"  Arms  on  armour  clashing,  bray'd 
Horrible  discord,  and  the  madding  wheels 
Of  brazen  chariots,  dire  was  the  noise 
Of  conflict." 
4.  Prophets  (2  K.  ii.  12,  xiii.  14)  used  by  their  Master,  the  great  King, 
both  for  state  and  war.   5.  Christ's  love  to  His  Church  (Song  vi.  12).   "The 
unexpected  helps  which  this    Church  found  for  her  return."       (Cotton.) 
6.  Triumphant  passage  to  heaven   of  servants   of  God  (2  K.  ii.  11,  cf. 
2  Pet.  i.  11). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Useful  things  put  to  bad  uses.  Chariots 
employed  in  war.  2.  Folly  of  trusting  in  most  approved  instruments  of 
attack  or  defence.  3.  Seek  to  have  not  only  a  peaceful  but  a  triumphant 
departure.  4.  The  warrior-prophet  went  home  in  a  chariot.  Death  will 
borrow  its  character  from  the  life.  Live  like  a  soldier  of  Christ,  and  die 
like  one. 

"  Dost  thou  I  now  the  fate  of  soldiers  ? 
They're  but  Ambition's  tools,  to  cut  a  way 
To  her  unlawful  ends  ;  and  when  they're  worn, 
Hack'd,  hewn  with  constant  service,  thrown  aside, 
To  rust  in  peace,  and  rot  in  hospitals."     (Southern.) 


[Addenda. — Carriages,  rude  and  rare,  known  in  France,  1547 ;  in 
England,  1555.  Close  c.  first  used  by  persons  of  gentility  at  close  of  16th 
century.  Hen.  IV.  of  France  had  one  without  springs.  First  made  in 
England  in  time  of  Elizabeth,  and  called  whirlicotes.  Duke  of  Buckingham 
(1619)  drove  six  horses;  and  Duke  of  Northumberland  drove  eight,  c.  was 
let  for  hire  in  Paris  (1650),  at  Hotel  Fiacre  :  hence  the  name,   acre.] 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


Array.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Warrior 


I.  Organization. — 1.  Military  Service:  A  kind  of  conscrip- 
tion apps.  to  have  prevailed  among  Hebs.  fr.  time  of  exodus ;  bor- 
rowed prob.  fr.  Egypt.  In  second  yr.  aft.  there  was  a  gen.  enrol- 
ment of  all  males  above  20  yrs.  of  age  (Nu.  i.  1-54), 
and  a  second  enrolment  in  the  40th  yr.  (Nu.  xxvi. 
2) ;  in  case  of  war,  those  who  actually  served  were 
called  out  fr.  this  roll  (Nu.  xxxi.  3-5;  Jud.  xx.  8-11 ; 
1  S.  xi.  7);  public  notice  given  of  exempted  parties 
(Deu.  xx.  5-8);  drilling  then  began  (1  Ch.  xii.  38). 
2.  Divisions  of  Army.  (1)  Infantry  (Ge.  xlix.  19; 

1  S.  xxx.  8  ;  2  S.  iii.  22) ;  bulk  of  A.  consisted  of  (a) 
light  armed  troops  ;  gen.  taken  fr.  trbs.  of  Ephraim 
and  Benjamin  (2  Ch.  xvii.  17);  wore  little  armour  : 
weapons — bow,  javelin,  sling,  buckler,  (b)  Spear- 
men, clad  in  mail,  fouykt  hand  to  hand,  armed 
with  spears,  swords,  and  shields  (1  Ch.  xii.  24-34  ; 

2  Ch.  xiv.  8).  (2)  Cavalry:  The  law  (Deu.  xvii.  16) 
and  nature  of  country  prevented  horses  fr.  being 
greatly  used,  notwithstanding  Solomon's  innova- 
tion, for  Kabshakeh  (Is.  xxxvi.  8)  scornfully 
offered  2,000  horses  to  K.  Hezekiah  if  he  could  set 
riders  upon  them.   (3)  Chariots,  q.v.  3.  Officers: 

Roman.  Ace.  to  primary  principle  of  Theocracy,  Jehovah 

was  "the  captain  of  the  Lord's  host"  (Jos.  v.  14,  cf.  Nu.  x.  35,  36; 

1  S.  iv.  3,  4) ;  there  were  captains  of  50s  (I  S.  viii.  12),  and  of  100s, 
1,000s,  and  10,000s  (Nu.  xxxi.  48  ;  Deu.  i.  15).  The  captains  of 
1,000s  attended  councils  of  war  (1  Ch.  xiii.  1-3)  under  the  name  of 
ketsinim  (Jos.  x.  24).  The  whole  was  under  command  of  "  captain  of 
host,"  or  generalissimo  (as  Abner,  Joab,  Benaiah,  Ornri) :  next  to 
him  were  leaders  of  divisions — centre,  right  and  left  wing  (2  S. 
xviii.  2).  4.  Number:  David's  A.  ==  288,000  men,  in  12  tliv.  of 
24,000  ea.,  wh.  performed  military  dutv  a  month  in  succession 
(1  Ch.  xxvii.  1-15).  As  Solomon  had  1,400  chariots  and  12,000 
horse,  his  entire  army  must  have  been  very  large.  A.  of  Jehosaphat 
1,160,000  (see  2  Ch.  xvii.  19) ;  of  Amaziah,  300,000,  besides  100,000 
hired  of  Israel  (2  Ch.  xxvi.  6,  7)  ;  of  Jereboam,  800,000,  defeated  by 
Abijah  (2  Ch.  xiii.  3). 

II.  Bible  References  to  A. — Army  of  Israel  :   First  mention 
(Ex.  vii.  4) ;  collected  by  trumpet  (Jud.  iii.  27,  vi.  34) ;  messengers  (vi.  36 ; 

2  S.  xx.  14)  ;  other  means  (Jud.  xix.  29,  cf.  xx.  1  ;  1  S.  xi.  7)  ;  enrolled 
(2  K.  xxv.  19)  ;  called  host  (Deu.  xxiii.  19  ;  IS.  xxvih*.  19) ;  as.  of  living; 
God  (1  S.  xvii.  26)  ;  of  infantry  (Nu.  xi.  21  ;  Jud.  v.  15).  Horse  and 
chariots  aft.  time  of  David  (1  K.  i.  5,  iv.  26).  Divisions  :  three  (Jud.  vii.  16  ; 

1  S.  xi.  11)  ;  van,  rear  (Jos.  vi.  9)  ;  comp.  of  1,000s,  etc.   (Nu.  xxxi.  14  ; 

2  K.  i.  9,  11  ;  1  Ch.  xiii.  1,  xxvii.  1)  ;  led  bij  cap.  of  host  (2  S.  ii.  8  ;  xvii. 
25,  xx.  23) ;  oft.  by  king  (1  S.  viii.  20,  xv.  4,  5 ;  2  S.  xii.  29  ;  1  K.  xxii.) 
Persons  liable  to  serve  in  (Nu.  i.  2,  3) ;  exempt  («)  who  had  buildcd  a 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHEr.S. 


89 


MANNERS  A.XD  CUSTOMS. 


[Army. 


house  ;  (A)  planted  vineyard  ;  (<•)  lately  betrothed,  (d)  or  newly  married ; 
(e)  the  timid  (Deu.  xx.  5-8,  xxiv.  5) ;  refusing  to  join,  disgraced  (Jud.  v. 
1-3-17),  punished  (xxi.  5,  8-11  ;  18.  xi.  7).  a.  sometimes  =  whole  nation 
(Jud.  xx.  11);  discipline  (Jos.  vii.  16-21;  1  S.  xiv.  24-44);  training 
(Is.  ii.  4  ;  Mic.  iv.  3) ;  supply  of  arms  (2  Ch.  xi.  12,  xxvi.  14).  Before 
going  to  war,  reviewed  (2  S.  xviii.  1,  2,  4;  1  K.  xx.  15,  27)  ;  to  keep  fr. 
sin  (Deu.  xxiii.  9) ;  consulted  the  Lord  (Jud.  i.  1,  xx.  27,  28) ;  encouraged 
by  leader  (2  Ch.  xx.  20) ;  ark  of  God  with  (Jos.  vi.  6,  7 ;  1  S.  iv.  4,  5  ; 
2  S.  xi.  11,  xv.  24).  Priests,  etc.,  with  (Nu.  x.  9,  xxxi.  6  ;  2  Ch.  xiii. 
13,  14).  Praise  of  God  sung  bef.  (2  Ch.  xx.  21,  22  ;  drawn  up  with  skill 
(2  S.  x.  2) ;  courage  rewarded  (Jos.  xv.  16  ;  IS.  xvii.  25,  xviii.  17  ;  2  S. 
xviii.  11  ;  1  Ch.  xi.  6);  select  men  for  dif.  enterprises  (Ex.  xvii.  9; 
Nu.  xxxi.  5,  6  ;  Jos.  vii.  4,  viii.  3  ;  Jud.  vii.  5,  6  ;  2  S.  xvii.  1).  Divine 
guidance  (Jos.  viii.  1,2;  Jud.  i.  2  ;  2  S.  v.  25 ;  1  Ch.  xiv.  26)  ;  powerful 
by  aid  of  God  (Lev.  xxvi.  3,  7,  8 ;  Deu.  vii.  24,  xxxii.  30  ;  Jos.  i.  5)  ; 
defeated  without  it  (Lev.  xxvi.  17  ;  Nu.  xiv.  42,  45).  Provisioning  (Jos. 
i.  11  ;  Jud.  viii.  5  ;  1  S.  xvii.  17,  xxv.  4-8  ;  2  S.  xvii.  27-29)  ;  triumph 
(1  S.  xviii.  6,  7,  cf.  Ex.  xv.  1-21)  ;  purified  aft.  war  (Nu.  xxxi.  19-24) ; 
disbanded  (1  S.  xiii.  2 ;  1  K.  xxii.  36);  a.  on  peace  footing  (1  S.  xiii.  1,  2; 
1  Ch.  xxvii.  1-15). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— as.  ill.  (1)  multi- 
tude of  angels  (1  K.  xxii.  19  ;  Ps.  cxlviii.  2 ;  Dan.  iv.  35  ;  Mat.  xxvi.  53  ; 
imposing  appearance— executing  will  of  king — conquering  enemies — vast 
number— celerity  of  movement.  (2)  The  Church  of  Christ  (Dan.  viii.  10-13; 
Song  vi.  4-10)  ;  on  a  campaign  —  no  peace  but  by  conquest — an  invin- 
cible leader — numerous — victory  certain — triumph  eternal  and  glorious. 
(3)  Afflictions  (Job  xix.  12);  numerous— costly— desolating — bereaving. 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Pray  and  labour  for  spread  of  that 
kingdom  whose  chief  features  are  peace  and  love.  2.  Support  all  proper 
means  for  putting  an  end  to  war.  3.  In  times  of  unavoidable  war, 
remember  it  is  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory.  4.  Enlist  in  army  of  Jesus, 
and  be  a  faithful  soldier  in  fighting  against  sin,  error,  etc. 

{Addenda. — Ninus  and  Semiramis  had  as.  numbering  nearly  2,000,000. 
(2017  B.C.)  First  guards  and  regular  troops  as  a  standing  a.  were  formed 
bv  Saul  (1093  B.C.) — Eusebius.  a.  of  Darius,  against  Alexander  the  Great 
(332  b.c.),  betw.  750,000  and  1,000,000.  First  standing  a.  of  modern  times 
maintained  in  France  by  Chas.  VII.  (1445).] 


TABLE  showing  strength  and  cost  of  British  a.  at  diff. 

dates,     p.  = 

oeace;  w.=  war 

Date. 

Number. 

Cost. 

Date. 

Number. 

Cost. 

1780  w. 

110,000 

£7,847,000 

1850  p. 

99,118 

£6,763,48S 

1800  w. 

168,000 

17,973,000 

1852  p. 

101,937 

7,018,164 

1810  w. 

300,000 

26,748,000 

1854  w. 

112,977 

7,167,486 

1815   w. 

300,000 

39,150,000 

1855   w. 

178,645 

13,721,158 

1820  p. 

88,100 

18,253,0U0 

1856  w. 

206,836 

14,545,059 

1830  p. 

89,300 

6,991,000 

1859 

109,640 

13,300,000 

1840   p. 

93,471 

6,390,267 

1860   w. 

235,852 

14,842,000 

00 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Standards.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Warrior 


I.  Descriptive. — Of  Jewish  s.  there  app.  to  have  been  3  chief: 
1.  The  deghel;  the  s.  of  ea.  of  4  gen.  divisions.  "  Large  and  orna- 
mented with  colours   in   white,  purple,   crimson,   and  dark  blue." 

ft,j  -^X^V^    (J-  B-  A->  iV*  288-)     Tlle  rabbiuS  (0n  Ge-  Xlix- 

>M  ^^&;y$9'  3>  9'  *">  -- — a  doubtful  base  for  such  a  state- 
It  vu/jrrijy  ment)  assert  that  the  first  of  these  s. — that  of 
Judah — bore  a  lion  ;  the  second — Reuben — a 
man;  the  third — Ephraim — a  bull;  the  fourth 
— Dan — the  representation  of  Cherubim  ; 
wrought  into  the  s.  with  embroidered  work. 
This  because  they  were  the  leading  tribes  in 
ea.  div.  (Nu.  i.  52  ;  ii.  2,  3,  10,  18,  25,  34  ;  x.  14, 
18,  22,  25).  2.  The  6th,  for  ea.  particular 
tribe  (Nu.  ii.  2).  Prob.  it  was  merely  a  pole, 
or  spear,  to  the  end  of  which  something — as  a 
bunch  of  leaves — was  fastened.  3.  The  nes, 
not  like  others  borne  fr.  place  to  place,  but 
(Nu.  xxi.  8,  9)  a  long  pole,  fixed  in  earth. 
A  flag  was  fastened  at  the  top,  wh.,  agitated 
by  wind,  was  seen  at  a  great  distance  (Jer.  iv. 
Roman  Banner  and  Eagle.  ^  21,  li.  2,  12,  27  ;  Ez.  xxvii.  7).  In  order  to 
make  it  visible  fr.  afar,  it  was  erected  on  eminences,  and  used  as  a 
signal  to  assemble  the  army.  On  its  appearance,  the  war-cry  was 
shouted,  and  trumpets  were  blown  (Is.  v.  26,  xiii.  2,  xviii.  3,  xxx.  17, 
xlix.  22,  lxii.  10-13). 

II.  Illustrations.— Song  ii.  4  :  The  banner  seems  to  =  a  cover- 
ing. '•  Aft.  having  rescued  fr.  the  enemy,  our  victorious  Cap.  (Heb. 
ii.  10)  seats  us  at  a  banquet  under  a  banner  inscribed  with  His  name, 
'  love  '  (1  Jo.  iv.  8).  His  love  conquered  us  to  Himself :  this  banner 
rallies  round  us  the  forces  of  Omnipotence,  as  our  protection;  it 
marks  to  what  country  we  belong — heaven,  the  abode  of  love,  and 
in  what  we  most  glory,  the  cross  of  Christ,  through  wh.  we  triumph 
(Ro.  viii.  37  ;  1  Cor'  xv.  57  ;  Rev.  iii.  21);  cf.  with  'over  me' 
(Deut.  xxxiii.  27);  'underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms.'  (P. C.) 
Song  vi.  4  :  '  Army  ' — loveliness,  security,  unity,  loyalty.  Not  armed 
as  a  city  on  defensive,  but  as  army  on  offensive.  '  Banners  '  (Ps.  lx. 
4).  Jehovah-nissi.  (C.  D.  O.  T.,  116  ;  2  Cor.  x.  4.)  Songvi.  10:  The 
climax  requires  thus  to  be  applied  to  the  starry  and  angelic  hosts, 
fr.  wh.  God  is  called  the  Ld.  of  Sabaoth.  Her  final  glory  (Ge.  xv.  5  ; 
Dan.  xii.  3;  Rev.  xii.  1).  The  Church  Patriarchal,  'the  morning'; 
Levitical,  'the  moon;'  Evangelical,  '  the  sun ; '  Triumphant,  'the 
bannered  army '  (Rev.  xix.  4).  Is.  v.  26  :  Ensign,  to  call  to- 
gether the  hostile  nations  to  execute  His  judgments  on  Judsea 
(Is.  x.  5-7,  xlv.  1).  Is.  xi.  10:  Stand,  permanently  and  promi- 
nently, as  a  banner  lifted  up  to  be  the  rallying-point  of  an  army 
(Jo.  xii.  32).    Is.  x.  18  :  'As  when  a  standard-bearer  fainteth  '   is 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  91 

Life]  MAXXJZRS  AND  CUSTjUS.  [Standards. 

rendered  by  Gesenius  '  as  when  a  sick  man  (fr.  a  Syriac  root)  wastes 
away.'  "  Dent,  xxviii.  49;  Mat.  xxiv.  28  ;  Lu.  xvii.  37  .are  supposed 
to  be  ill.  by  the  Roman  eagle,  or  standard.  [See  cut.  The  letters 
s.  r.  q.  r.  are  the  initials  of  the  words  Senatus  Pqpulus-que  Romanus 

=  the  senate  and  people  of  Home.] 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  National  stand- 
ards uplifted  as  the  rallying-point  of  soldiers  entering  upon  a  bloody  and 
costly  (lives  and  treasure)  war,  to  promote  individual  or  national  am- 
bition, revenge,  or  aggrandizement  ;  standard  of  the  cross,  around  wh. 
the  Church  rallies,  leads  on  to  peaceful,  bloodless  conquests  for  world's 
good,  and  God's  glory.  2.  Although  there  were  tribal  standards,  all 
the  tribes  of  Israel  rallied  round  one  chief  and  central  standard  ;  so, 
though  there  may  be  denominational  banners  in  the  Church  of  Christ, 
there  is  only  one  true  standard — the  Cross,  in  which  all  Christians  glory, 
and  by  which  they  will  certainly  conquer  (1  Cor.  i  12,  iii.  4,  5,  cf.  Gal. 
vi.  14).  3.  Contrast  the  feelings,  principles,  aims,  etc.,  of  those  who  fight 
under  the  standard,  and  wh.  are  developed,  sustained,  and  strengthened 
by  the  Holy  War  in  wh.  they  are  engaged,  with  those  suggested  by 
common  standards. 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Are  we  fighting  under  the  s.  of  tho 
Cross  ?  2.  If  not  with  Jesus,  we  are  against  Him.  Apparent  neutrality 
is  real  opposition.  "Were  a  man  to  banish  himself  to  some  distant  island, 
or  even  to  enter  the  gates  of  death,  he  still  exerts  a  positive  influence,  for 
he  is  a  loss  to  his  brothers;  the  loss  of  that  most  blessed  gift  of  God — even 
that  of  a  living  man  to  living  men — of  a  being  who  ought  to  have  loved, 
and  to  have  been  beloved."  {Dr.  Norman  Macleod.)  3.  If  you  are  on  the 
side  of  the  Cross — ;'.  e.  a  crucified  Saviour — be  of  good  courage :  the 
victory  is  certain,  for  He  must  reign,  and  His  enemies  become  His  foot- 
stool. 

[Addenda. — The  s.  of  Constantine  adopted,  it  is  said,  by  Eusebius,  who 
asserts  he  had  it  fr.  the  emperor  himself),  in  consequence  of  the  miraculous 
app.  of  a  cross  to  him,  before  the  battle  with  Maxentius  (Oct.  27,  312), 
bore  the  inscription  "In  hoc  signo  vinces  "  (=  in  this  sign  thou  shalt 
conquer)  under  the  figure  of  a  cross.  The  famous  magical  s.  of  the  Danes, 
taken  by  Alfred,  a.u.  879. — Spelman.  St.  Martin's  cap,  and  aft.  tho 
celebrated  auriflamma  or  oriflamme,  were  s.  of  France,  about  1100.  The 
auriflamma  was  a  costly  s.  belonging  to  Abbey  of  St.  Denis,  and  suspended 
over  the  tomb  of  that  saint  (1140).  Louis  le  Gros  the  first  king  who  used 
it,  1124. —  Henautt.  Appeared  last  time  at  Agincourt  (1415).  s.  of 
Mohammed,  on  wh.  no  infidel  dared  look,  was  carried  in  procession  ab. 
1768,  when  several  hundred  Christians,  ignorantly  looking  on  it,  were 
massacred  by  the  Turks.  The  British  s.  first  hoisted  on  Tower  of  London, 
and  on  Bedford  Tower,  Dublin,  and  displayed  by  the  Foot  Guards  on  union 
of  the  two  kingdoms,  Jan.  1,  1801.  The  honour  of  the  flag  salute  at  sea 
was  exacted  by  England  fr.  early  times  ;  but  formally  yielded  by  the 
Dutch,  in  1673,  after  many  defeats.  Louis  XIV.  forced  the  Spaniards  to 
lower  their  flag  to  French,  1080.  {Henuult.)  Union  Jack  so  called  in  all. 
to  the  union  with  Scotland.  Jack  is  a  corruption  of  "  Jacques"  or  James. 
In  1801,  the  banner  of  St.  Patrick  was  blended  with  it,  and  thus  was 
formed  the  present  union  flag.] 


02 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Sieges] 


MAXXERS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Warrior 


Ancient  Battering-ram. 


I.  Descriptive. — [Siege,  orig.  a  seat ;  a  sitting  down  with  an 
army  round  or  before  a  fortified  place,  to  take  it  by  force.  Fr.,  It., 
segg'io—sedio,  seat;  assedio,  siege;  Lat.,  sedes,  a  seat;  sedeo,  to  sit.] 

When      a 
town      was 
threatened, 
it  was  first 
invited      to 
surrender 
f=?J  (Deu.xx.10; 
Is.      xxxvi. 
l-20,xxxvii. 
%  8-20);  if  the 
jjrlg  besieged 
jp^fl  concluded  to 
3  capitulate, 
the     princi- 
pal        men 
went  out  to 

make  terms  ;  hence,  "  to  go  forth,"  or  "  come  out  of,"=  to  surrender 
by  capitulation  (1  S.  xi.  3,  10,  11;  2  K.  xviii.  31,  xxiv.  12;  Jer. 
xxi.  9,  xxxviii.  17,  18).  1.  In  anc.  times  the  enemy  surrounded  the 
citv,  2  or  3  deep,  and  took  it  by  assault,  hence  the  phrases  "  to 
encamp  against  a  city,"  etc.  (Jos.  x.  5  ;  Jud.  ix.  50  ;  1  S.  xi.  1 ;  2  K. 
xxv.  1 ;  Is.  xxix.  3).  2.  When  the  siege  promised  to  be  long,  the 
besiegers  dug  a  ditch  betw.  themselves  and  the  city,  and  another, 
parallel  to  it,  outside,  to  enclose  their  camp.  The  besieged,  shut  up, 
perished  by  famine,  pestilence,  and  missiles  (2  K.  vi.  28-31,  xxv.  1 ; 
Jer.  lii.  4;  Ez.  iv.  2,  xvii.  17,  etc.)  This  mode  was  called  circum- 
vallation,  connected  with  which  was — 3.  The  mound,  a  hu°:e 
"bank"  of  earth  cast  against  the  city,  by  which,  as  an  inclined 
plane,  the  besiegers  might  enter  (Deu.  xx.  19,  20;  2  S.  xx.  15). 
4.  Meanwhile,  battering-rams  (see  cut)  were  moved  forward  to 
batter  down  the  walls  (Ez.  iv.  2,  xxi.  22,  xxvi.  9) ;  and— 5.  Cata- 
pults were  employed  to  hurl  large  stones  at  the  walls,  etc.  The 
Jews  are  said  to  have  invented  "engines"  for  propelling  arrows  and 
stones  (2  Ch.  xxvi.  15),  and  this  is  confirmed  by  Pliny,  who  (vii.  56) 
says  the  balista,  a  machine  for  throwing  stones,  was  devised  in  Syria. 
"  Engines  of  shot "  (Jer.  vi.  6,  marg.,  xxxii.  24,  marg. ;  Ez.  xxvi. 
8,  ?narg.,  but  incorrectly).  Meanwhile,  also — 6.  All  supplies  of 
food  and  water  were  cut  off.  Sometimes,  if  the  besieged  had  wells 
inside  the  city,  they  filled  up  the  fountains  outside  to  harass  the 
besiegers  (2  Ch.  xxxii.  3,  4  ;  Is.  xxii.  9-11).  To  protect  a  city  there 
was — i.  The  WALL  (Heb.,  choma),  sometimes  double  or  triple  (2  Ch. 
xxxii.  5),  lofty  and  broad  (Jer.  li.  58).  2.  Towers  (Heb.,  migdaloth), 
erected  at  intervals  along  the  walls  and  over  the  gates.     These 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  93 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Sieges. 

served  as  (1)  strong  and  large  platforms  for  warlike  engines,  cata- 
pults, etc.  (2  Ch.  xxvi.  15)  ;  and  (2)  posts  of  observation  (2  S.  xiii. 
84,  xviii.  2G,  27;  2  K.  ix.  17-19).  [On  this  ace.  prophets  are  often 
oomp.  to  watchmen  in  towers  (Ez.  iii.  17,  xxvii.  11,  xxxiii.  1-9.] 
3  Bulwarks,  or  bastions,  projections  along  the  wall,  and  at  angles, 
for  engines,  etc.  (2  Ch.  xxvi.  15).  4.  A  fosse,  or  ditch,  outside, 
and  inside  the  outer  wall,  when  there  were  two  walls  (Is.  xxii.  11). 
5.  Gates,  covered  with  plates  of  iron,  and  fastened  with  bars  (Ps. 
cvii.  16;  Is.  xlv.  2).  When  a  breach  in  the  wall  was  effected,  the 
besieged  oft.  erected  another  wall  inside,  removing  adjacent  houses 
to  do  so  (Is.  xxii.  10).  The  capture  was  usually  attended  bv 
horrible  atrocities  (2  Ch.  xxxvi.),  and  the  walls  were  razed;  hence, 
"to  draw  a  city  with  ropes,"  etc.  (2  S.  xvii.  13),  was  a  proverbial 
boast.    (Jahn.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Sieges. — Memorable  ss.  :  Jericho  (Jos. 
vi.  2-20;  C.  I).  0.  T.,  164);  Ai  (vii.  2-4;  viii.  1-19);  Makkedah  (x.  28); 
Libnah  (29,  30);  Lachish  (31,  32);  Eglon  (34,  35);  Hebron  (36,  37); 
Debit-  (38,  39);  Shechem  (Jud.  ix.  34-45)  ;  Thebes  (50) ;  Jabesh-Gilead  (1  S. 
xi.  1);  Eeilah  (xxiii.  1);  Ziklag  (xxx.  1,  2);  Rabhah  (2  S.  xi.  1,  xii.  26-29); 
Gibbet  lion  (1  K.  xvi.  15);  Tirzah  (xvi.  17);  Samaria  (xx.  1 ;  2  K.  vi.  24, 
xvii.  5);  Ramoth-Gilead  (1  K.  xxii.  4,  29);  cities  of  Galilee  (2K.  xv.  29); 
of  Judah  (2  K.  xviii.  13) ;  Jerusalem  (2  K.  xxiv.  10,  11,  xxv.  1,  2). 

III.  Moral  and  Religions  Suggestions.— 1.  To  rule  one's 
spirit  greater  than  to  take  a  city  (Pr.  xvi.  32  ;  C.  D.  N.  T.,  288).  2.  The 
omnipresence  of  God  surrounds  us,  as  besiegers  a  "  shut  up  "  city  (Ps. 
exxxix.  5).  3.  As  besiegers  surround,  assault,  and  capture  a  city,  so  the 
judgments  of  God  invest  the  wicked  (Mic.  v.  1).  4.  The  Church,  in  her 
affliction,  cut  off  fr.  external  support,  and  harassed  by  enemies,  and  with 
small  supplies,  like  a  besieged  city  (Is.  i.  8).  5.  The  soul,  besieged  by 
providence  and  grace,  summoned  to  surrender  to  the  rightful  Kini<- :  like 
the  siege  of  a  rebellions  city.  (See  Bunyan's  Holy  War,  siege  of  town 
of  Mansoul.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  We  have  been  long  besieged :  have  we 
surrendered  ?  2.  If  we  hold  oxit  to  the  end  in  a  proud  and  stubborn 
resistance,  we  shall  be  overwhelmed  with  endless  and  irremediable  de- 
struction. 3.  Better  that  Jesus  should  reign  over  us  than  overthrow  us. 
4.  The  heavenly  city  secure  from  all  attack;  a  "city  which  hath  founda- 
tion; "  its  gates  stand  open  for  ever  (Rev.  xxi.  25). 

[Addenda. — Siege  of  Azoth,  by  Psammetichus  the  Powerful,  longest  on 
record,  19  yrs.  {Usher);  29  yrs.  (Herodotus).  s.  of  Troy  most  famous, 
occupied  10  yrs.  (1184  b.c)  Bomb-vessels  first  used  at  8.  of  Algiers  (1816), 
by  Renan,  a  Frenchman.  Covert-way  first  used  at  s.  of  Bommel  (1794). 
First  s.  at  wh.  cannon  was  used,  Calais  (1388).  Largest  cannon  known 
in  Europe  used  at  s.  of  Candia,  by  Turks  (1667).  Charles  XII.  killed  at 
s.  of  Fitdericksbald  (1718).  Vaubm  first  came  into  notice  at  s.  of 
Maastricht  (1676).  The  French,  taught  by  Mr.  Muller,  an  English 
engineer,  first  practised  the  art  of  throwing  shells  at  s.  of  Mothe  (1634). 
Eed-hot  balls  first  thrown  with  certainty  at  8.  of  Stralsund  (1715).] 

Vol.  IT.— 7 


94  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Battles.J  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  ["Warrior 

I.  Descriptive. — 1.  Before  Battle.  The  arms  were  put  in 
order,  the  shields  anointed,  and  the  soldiers  took  food  (Is.  xxi.  5  ; 
Jer.  xlvi.  3,  4).  Kings  and  generals  (except  they  -wished  to  remain 
unknown  as  Josiah  at  Megiddo  (2  Ch.  xxxv.  22  ;  see  also  1  K. 
xxii.  30-34),  put  on  splendid  apparel,  called  in  Heb.  hadri  hadesh, 
i.  e.  the  sacred  dress  (rendered,  Ps.  ex.  3,  "  Beauties  of  holiness." 
2.  Battle  Array.  Precise  "  order  of  battle  "  uncertain  ;  but  the 
phrase  "leader  of  a  third  part"  (Ge.  xiv.  14,  15;  Jud.  vii.  16-19; 
Ex.  xiv.  7,  xv.  4  ;  2  K.  vii.  2,  xvii.  19,  x.  25)  seems  to  point  to 
the  usual  three  parts  of  a  line  of  battle — centre,  with  right  and  left 
wing.  At  this  point  (i.e.  before  the  time  of  the  kings)  the  priests 
exhorted  the  soldiers  to  behave  valiantly  (Deu.  xx.  3,  4).  In  after- 
times  they  were  harangued  by  kings  and  generals  (2  Ch.  xiii.  4). 
Sometimes  sacrifices  were  then  offered,  by  a  prophet,  or  some  official 
in  his  presence  (1  S.  xiii.  8-13),  and  then — the  last  ceremony—  called 
"  the  sounding  " — the  blowing  of  the  sacred  trumpets  by  the  priests 
(Nu.  x.  9,  10  ;  2  Ch.  xiii.  12-14).  3.  The  Attack.  At  a  distance 
of  3  or  4  furlongs,  the  Gks;  sang  a  war-song  (resembling  2  Ch.  xx.  21), 
and  they  then  raised  a  shout,  6\d\d(a.v  ;  this  the  Hebs.  also  did 
(1  S.  xvii.  52  ;  Jos.  vi.  6  ;  Is.  v.  29,  30,  xvii.  12  ;  Jer.  iv.  19  ;  xxv. 
30).  [An  example  of  the  battle-shout  is  given  Jud.  vii.  20.]  In 
the  charge,  the  first  attack  was  prob.  made  by  light-armed  infantry 
[at  one  time  the  whole  Heb.  army  was  composed  of  foot-soldiers], 
archers  and  slingers,  spread  out,  and  by  their  missiles  sought  to 
throw  the  enemy  into  confusion.  The  heavy-armed  centre  then 
lushed,  with  levelled  spears,  at  full  speed.  Swiftness  of  foot,  in  a 
soldier,  is  often  named  as  a  quality  of  high  importance  (2  S.  iii. 
19-24;  1  Ch.  xii.  8;  Ps.  xviii.  33).  The  contest  was  now  hand  to 
hand,  and  hence  the  slaughter— in  proportion  to  the  whole  number 
engaged — was  immense.  4.  Stratagems.  Very  oft.  the  Hebs. 
divided  the  army,  and  placed  one  part  in  ambush  (Ge.  xiv.  14-16; 
Jos.  viii,  12  ;  Jud.  xx.  39).  In  these  early  times,  it  was  the  opinion 
that  deception  of  any  kind,  however  unfair,  might  be  employed  in 
war  [a  proverb  "  AH*  is  fair  in  war  "]  ;  yet  only  one  case  is  noted  in 
the  Bible  (Ge.  xxxiv.  25-31).  5.  Omen?.  The  Heb.  on  the  verge  of 
battle  rejoicing  at  signs  of  approaching  storm,  indulging  the  hope 
that  God  was  coming  in  clouds  to  aid  them  (1  S.  vii.  10  ;  Jud. 
v.  20,  21;  Jos.  x.  12-15;  Hab.  iii.  11).  6.  Shock  of  Arms.  Orientals 
attack  with  great  vehemence  :  if  the  enemy  maintains  an  unaltered 
front,  they  retreat,  and  presently  return  with  increased  ardour.  The 
Roman  practice  was  to  stand  still  and  receive  the  attack.  To  this 
there  are  many  allusions  (1  Cor.  xvi.  13;  Gal.  v.  1  ;  Ep.  vi.  14; 
Phil.  i.  27;  1  Thes.  iii.  8;  2  Thes.  ii.  15).  7.  Victory.  Return  of 
conquerors  hailed  with  loud  acclaim  ;  people  of  cities  went  out  to 
meet  them;  women  dancing,  singing,  and  playing  on  mus.  instru- 
ments (1  S.  xviii.  6,  7;.     Elegies  were  composed  for  the  dead  (as  by 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  95 


Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Battles. 


David,  2  S.  i.  17-27).  Valiant  soldiers  especially  honoured  (Jud. 
i.  12;  1  S.  xvii.  2.1,  xviii.  17).  8.  Spoil.  All  spoil  taken  fr. 
Canaanitcs  destroyed  by  fire  (Deu.  xiii.  10);  for  breaking  this 
command  Achan  punished  (Jos.  vii.)  Spoil  taken  by  any  other 
people  to  be  enjoyed  by  the  victors.  Half  to  be  given  to  those  who 
remained  at  home  (Ps.  lxviii.  12).  Each  party  was  to  present  a 
portion  (-^th  in  one  case,  ^,th  in  another)  to  the  Levites,  for  the 
support  of  religion.  And  it  was  prob.  the  custom  to  make  a  special 
offering  to  God  as  an  atonement  for  any  sin  during  the  campaign 
(Nu.  xxxi.  50). 

II.  Memorable   Battles.  —  n.  of  Bf.ttt-hokon  (Jos.  x.   1-15; 

C.  D.  0.  T.,  166)  marked  by  supernatural  lengthening  of  the  day, — the 
sudden  storm, — and  resulting  in  seizure  by  Israel  of  the  very  heart  of 
Canaan.  One  of  the  us.,  says  Stanley  (S.  J.  C,  i.  238),  "which  decided 
equally  the  fortunes  of  the  world  and  of  the  Church."  b.  of  Merom  (Jos. 
xi.  1-15  ;  C.B.O.  T.,  168).  The  last  effort  of  defeated  Canaan  under  the 
united  kings  of  the  north  ;  a  B.  by  wh.  previous  conquests  were  secured, 
and  future  government  placed  on  a  safe  basis,  n.  of  Megiddo  (Jud. 
iv.  1-21  ;  C  I).  0.  T.,  174).  "It  ranks  hi  sacred  history  next  after 
Beth-horon  amongst  the  religious  battles  of  the  world."  (S.  J.  C,  i. 
328).  Immortally  associated  with  the  names  of  Deborah  and  Barak; 
and  marked  by  final  subjugation  of  the  remnants  of  the  old  Canaanitish 
race.  b.  of  Jezkeel  (Jud.  vii.  1-25;  CD.  0.  T.,  176).  Identified  with 
the  name  of  Gideon  ;  marked  by  the  night  attack  of  his  300  men,  armed 
with  pitchers,  lamps,  and  trumpets. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  One  great  battle 

against  sin  and  its  fruit  (error,  ignorance,  superstition)  in  which  all 
should  engage.  2.  It  has  waged  long,  apparently  with  varying  success, 
but  tending  to  ultimate  victor}-.  3.  By  temporary  defeats,  men  learn  to 
win  a  certain  triumph  (as  Peter  the  Great  learned  by  many  disasters  how 
at  length  to  conquer  Charles  XII.)  4.  The  ocean  tidal  waves  roll  back, 
and  gather  force  for  next  inflow,  till  after  many  recessions  high  tide  is 
attained.  So  the  ocean  of  truth  will  reach  high  tide  in  the  world,  though 
the  waves  seem  sometimes  to  flow  back  (Is.  xi.  9  ;  Hab.  ii.  14.)  5.  Horrors 
and  costs  of  war. 

"It  was  the  English,  Kaspar  cried, 
That  put  the  French  to  rout ; 
But  what  they  killed  each  other  for 

I  could  not  well  make  out. 
But  everybody  said,  quoth  he, 
That  'twas  a  famous  victory. 
And  everybody  praised  the  Duke 

Who  such  a  fight  did  win. 
But  what  good  came  of  it  at  last  ? 

Quoth  little  Peterkin  ; 
Why  that  I  cannot  tell,  said  he, 
But  'twas  a  famous  victory."       (Southey.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Spread  and  live  Hie  Gospel  of  Peace 
(Mat.  xxvi.  62,  ///.  the  nations  that  have  been  most  warlike,  their  territory 
and  moral  character — Greece,  Iiome,  etc.)     2.  Seek  peace,  and  pursue  it. 


96 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Prisoners.] 


AfAXXEIiS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Warrior 


I.  Descriptive. — Anc.  the  power  of  conqueror  owned  no  limita- 
tion :  flocks,  herds,  fruits  of  earth,  houses,  hecame  their  possession ; 
cities  were  razed  to  the  ground,  and  women  and  children  sold  into 


slavery  (2  S.  v.  21 ;  2  Ch.  xxv.  14;  Hos.  x.  5,  6;  Jer.  xlvi.  25, 
xlviii.  7).  The  men,  esp.  soldiers  and  makers  of  arms,  were  sent 
away  captive  into  dist.  provinces;  hence,  great  lamentation  among 
conquered.  Those  able,  escaped  (Is;  xvi.  1-6;  Jer.  xli.  5,  xliii.  6); 
those  unable,  threw  away  their  valuables  (Ez.  vii.  19) ;  the  fugitives 
hid  themselves  in  caves,  or  among  mt.  fastnesses :  hence,  God,  on 
ace.  of  protection  afforded,  is  called  a  "Bock"  (Jud.  xx.  47,  48;  Jer. 
iv.  29,  xvi.  16,  xxii.  20;  Ez.  vii.  7,  17  ;  Is.  xxvi.  4).  Sometimes  the 
conquered  were  merely  made  tributary  (2  S.  viii.  6  ;  2  K.  xiv.  4). 
This,  however,  was  a  preat  indignity  and  reproach,  for  various 
reasons  (2  S.  viii.  6;  2  K.  xix.  6-13;  Is.  vii.  20;  Ps.  ix.  20).  An- 
ciently, nations  could  not  be  humane  in  war,  as  modern  nations, 
without  exposing  themselves  to  injury  (Nu.  xxxi.  14,  15;  2  S.  xii. 
31,  cf.  x.  1-5,  xi.  1  ;  Am.  i.  13  ;  2  S.  viii.  2,  cf.  2  K.  iii.  27;  Am. 
ii.  1).  The  Hebs.  were  comp.  mild  (2  S.  viii.  2  ;  1  K.  xx.  30-43; 
2  K.  vi.  21-23).  They  held  it  unlawful  to  keep  their  brethren  in 
bondage  who  were  taken  in  war;  hence  the  prophet  Oded  not  ODly 
obtained  fr.  Israelites  the  release  of  200,000  prisoners,  but  procured 
their  safe  return  home,  and  the  restoration  of  their  property  (2  Ch. 
xxviii).  Still,  in  their  wars  the  Hebs.  were  sometimes  very  cruel, 
showing  how  even  such  a  people,  and  under  such  a  government,  may 
have  the  worst  passions  inflamed  by  war  (2  K.  xv.  16 ;  2  Ch.  xxv. 
12;  Jud.  viii.  4-21,  xx.  1-30).  "If  the  conqueror  came  in  the 
capacity  of  a  revenger  of  former  injuries,  he  fmpiently  cut  down 
trees,  obstructed  the  fountains,  filled  the  cultivated  fields  with  stones, 
and  reduced  the  ground  to  a  state  of  barrenness  for  many  years. 
This  mode  of  procedure  was  forbidden  to  the  Hebrews  (Den.  xx. 
19,  20)  ;  but  the  prohibition  was  not  always  regarded  (1  Ch.  xxv.  1; 


HandSook  of  Bible  Geography: 


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The  PLACES 


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TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  97 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Prisoners 

2  K.  iii.  18-25).  The  captivated  kings  and  nobles  were  bound,  their 
eves  were  put  out,  and  their  bodies  mutilated;  they  were  thrown 
upon  the  ground,  and  trodden  under  feet  till  they  died  (Jud.  i.  0,  7; 
2  K.  xxv.  7;  Jos.  x.  24).  The  captives  were  sometimes  thrown 
down  upon  thorns,  sawn  asunder,  or  beaten  to  pieces  with  threshing 
instruments"  (2  S.  xii.  31;  1  Ch.  xx.  3;  Jud.  viii.  1).—(Ja/in. 
J.  B.  A.,  iv.  295.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religions  Suggestions.— 1.  The  lost  prisoner 

(1  K.  xx.  39,  40)  may  remind  us  of  what  we  have  to  keep  and  guard,  and 
are  in  danger  of  losing  through  being  cumbered  with  many  things  (as  the 
danger  of  losing  opportunities,  the  soul,  etc.)  Shall  we  say,  when  the 
King  comes  and  inquires  what  has  been  done  with  time,  talent,  etc., 
"As  thy  servant  was  busy  here  and  there,  he  was  gone  "  ?  ("A  charge  to 
keep  I  have,"  etc.)  2.  The  horrors  of  war  should  induce  us  to  pray, 
when  one  is  impending, 

"  Oh,  spare  the  wounds  our  bleeding  country  fears, 
The  thousand  ills  that  civil  discord  brings ! 
Oh,  still  the  noise  of  war,  whose  dread  alarms 
Frighten  repose  from  country  villages, 
And  stir  rude  tumult  up,  with  wild  destruction, 
In  all  our  peaceful  cities !  "  (Howe.) 

For  though  the  victory  should  be  ours,  at  its  close  we  may  say, 

"  This  day  hath  made 
Much  work  for  tears  in  many  an  English  mother, 
Whose  sons  lie  scattered  on  the  bleeding  ground. 
Man}-  a  widow's  husband  grovelling  lies, 
Coldly  embracing  the  discolour'd  earth."     (Shakspeare.) 

3.  Prisoners  of  hope :  God's  prisoners  (Ps.  lxix.  33),  waiting  for  His  de- 
liverance (Ps.  cxlvi.  7).  4.  Better  be  pilsoners  in  the  chamber  of  affliction, 
in  the  house  of  mourning,  etc,  than,  by  fighting  against  God,  incur  the 
penalty  of  being  shut  up  in  the  prison-house  of  the  lost  ("  spirits  in 
prison,"  1  Pet.  iii.  19  •  2  Pet.  ii.  4 ;  Jude  6,  13), 

"Where  peace 
And  rest  can  never  dwell,  hope  never  comes, 
That  comes  to  all."  {Milton.) 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Be  thankful  that  Christianity,  and  civi- 
lization as  its  result,  have  mitigated  the  horrors  of  war,  and  will  one  day 
utterly  abolish  it.  2.  If  prisoners  of  hope,  then  patiently  submit  to  the 
will  of  God. 

[Addenda. — The  custom  of  reducing  to  slavery  those  taken  in  war  con- 
tinued till  about  13th  cent.,  when  the  plan  of  exchanging  began.  Foreign 
p.  in  Englandin  1779  =  12,000.  Number  exchanged  with  France  in  1781 
=  44,000.  In  1798  there  were  6,000  English  in  France,  and  27,000  French 
in  England;  and  in  1811  the  numbers  respectively  were  10,300  and 
47,600.] 


98 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Jerusalem,  Ancient.]     MANA'EKS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Political 


I.  Historical.— Anc.  J.  =  J.  of  o.  t.,  i.e.  j.  fr.  its  origin  to  ab- 

400  B.C.     1.  Name  (=  foundation  of  peace,  or,  inheritance  of peace  ; 

or,  vision  of  peace)  tirst  occurs  Jos.  x.  1.     2.  Origin:  j.  prob.  the 

Salem   of  Melchizedek   (Ge.   xiv.    18 ; 

C.  1).  0.  T.,  28)  ;  for  J.  =  Salem  (Ps. 

!=----  lxxvi.  2),   and  Josephus  has  no  doubt 

of  it  {J.  Ant.,  i.  10,  2,  vii.  3,  2,  cf.,  also 

;'•  Ps.  ex.      J.  =  Jehus  or  Jebusi,  fr.  its 

A  occupants  the  Jebusites  {cf.  Ez.  xvi.  3), 

referred  to  in  desc.  of  its  situation  (Jos. 

gtgig-    xv.  8,  xyiii.  16,  28).     3.  Early  Hist.  . 

Hs£     ^n  Moriah  (q.  v.),  an  eminence  aft.  in- 

1     eluded  in  the  city,  hallowed  to  all  time 

J     by  Abraham's  offering  (Ge.  xxii.  1-18; 

,     see  Abraham ;  also  C.  B.  O.  T.,  38).  King 

5     of  J. — Adoni-zedek — slain   (Jos.   x.    5, 

j     16,  26).      J.   sacked    (Jud.   i.    8),    but 

|    Jebusites   kept  the  stronghold  of  Zion 

*     (Jos.  xv.  63  ;    Jud.  i.  21)  ;   hence  the 

I     Hebs.  would  not  sojourn  in  that  "  city 

I     of  strangers"  (xix.  10-13).     4.  Undkr 

I    the  Monarchy  :  David  having  united 

the  whole  nation,  resolved  to  attack  it, 

and  offered  the  generalship  of  his  army 

to  whomsoever  stormed  the  citadel ;  this  was  done  by  his  nephew  Joab, 

and  Zion  was  aft.  called  "  the  city  of  David,"  and  J.  became  the  capital 

of  his  kingdom  (2  S.  v.  6-10  ;  1  Ch.  xi.  4-9).    While  the  attempts  of 

Philistines  were  being:  twice  defeated  (2  S.  v.  17-25;  1  Ch.  xiv.  8,12; 

J.  Ant.,  vii.  4,  1);  Hiram  of  Tyre  formed  an  alliance  (2  S.  v.   11, 

17-25  ;  1  Ch.  xiv.  8-17),  and  after  the  ark  was  brought  in  (2  S.  vi. 

12-15;   1  Ch.  xv.  25-28).     Solomon  (C.  B.  O.  T.,  218-221)  beautified 

the  citv  by  var.  buildings — Temple,  palace,  etc. ;  improved  the  walls 

(J.  Wars,  v.  5,  1;  Ant.,  viii.  2,  1 ;   6,  1  ;    1  K.  iii.    1,   ix.   15-24); 

and  repaired  the  roads  (J.  Ant.,  viii.,  7,  4),  leaving  it  wealthy  ;  it 

was  a  tempting  prey  under  JRehoboam,  in  whose  4th  yr.  (ab.  970  B.C.) 

Shishak,  K.  of  Egypt,  plundered  it  (1  K.  xiv.  25  ;  2  Ch.  xii.  9,  cf. 

1  K.  x.  17)  ;  another  attempt  by  Zerah  the  Cushite  (2  Ch.  xiv.  9) 

was  defeated  by  Asa  in  the  b.  of  Mareshah  (940  B.C.)    Aft.  a  10  yrs.' 

interval  of  peace,  the  treasures  were  sent  as  a  bribe  to  Benhadad, 

k.  of  Damascus  (2  Ch.  xvi.  2,  3 ;  IK.  xv.  18).   Jehoshaphat  restored 

the  city    (2  Ch.  xix.  8-11,  xx.  5)  ;    but   his   son   Jehoram   having 

encouraged  idolatry  (2  Ch.  xxi.  11,  xxiii.  17),  it  was  again  besieged 

and  taken.     Aft.  a  brief  decline  (2  Ch.  xxiv.  7),  there  was  again  an 

interval   of  rest  and  zeal   for  Jehovah  (14;    2   K.   xii.   6-1(5).     In 

Arnaziak's  time  it  was  plundered  bv  Joash,  k.  of  Israel  (2  K.  xiv. 

11-14;  2  Ch.  xxv.  21-24);  but   Uzziah  (xxvi.   9,  15)   and  Jotham 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACH  E  US.  99 

life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.      [Jerusalem,  Ancient. 


(xxvii.  3  ;  2  K.  xv.  35)  repaired  it.  Hezekiah  (C.  D.  O.  T.,  264)  took 
Bteps  to  avert  a  threatened  siege  (2  K.  xx.  20  ;  2  Ch.  xxxii.  4,  30  ; 
Is.  xxii.  9-11),  and  the  Assyrians  were  miraculously  destroyed  (2  K. 
xix.  32-35  ;  C.  D.  O.  T.,  266).  Manasseh  restored  the  walls  aft.  his 
captivity  (2  Ch.  xxxiii.  1-1(5).  In  reigns  of  Jchoahaz,  Jehoiakim, 
and  Jehoiachin,  the  k.  of  Babylon,  and  prob.  also  of  Egypt,  took  and 
plundered  it  (2  K.  xxiii.  31-xxiv.  16;  2  Ch.  xxxvi  1-10).  During 
reign  of  Zedekiah,  Nebuchadnezzar  laid  siege  to  J.  The  k.  of  Egypt 
marched  to  its  relief;  the  siege  was  raised,  and  many  Jews  escaped 
(Jer.  xxxvii.  5-15).  The  Chaldeans  returned,  and,  aft.  a  siege  of 
18  mo,  took  the  city  (2  K.  xxv.  1-10;  2  Ch.  xxxvi.  11-19  ;  Jer. 
xxxii.  24,  xxx  viii.,  xxxix.  1-8;  lii.  1-14,  cf.  J.  Ant,  x.  8,  2;  CD.  O  T., 
270)  ;  many  of  the  pop.  carried  into  cap.  (Jer  lii.  15,  28-30)  ;  others 
went  into  Egypt  (xliii.  4,  7).  On  the  overthrow  of  Babylon 
(C.  D.  O.  T.,  274)  by  Cjrus,  J.  revived.  Cyrus  (B.C.  536)  permitted 
many  Jews  to  return  (Ezra  hi.,  iv. ;  C.  D.  O.  T.,  278).  Ab.  446  B.C. 
Nehemiah  began  his  work  of  restoration  and  reformation  (C.  I).  O.  T., 
288  :  Neh.     Eor  intermediate  history,  see  Connexion). 

II.  Bible  ^References. — Salem  (Ge.  xiv.  18  ;  Ps.  lxxvi.  2).  Jebus 
(Jos.  xv.  8,  xviii.  28;  Jud.  xix.  10)  ;  allotted  to  Benj.  (Jos.  xviii.  28)  ; 
part  taken  by  Judah  (Jud.  i.  8)  ;  chosen  by  God  (2  Ch.  vi.  6  ;  Ps.  exxxv. 
21).  Called:  City  of  God  (Ps.  xlvi.  4,  xlviii.  1) ;  of  the  Lord  (Is.  lx.  14) ; 
of  Judah  (2  Ch.'xxv.  28);  of  great  king  (Ps.  xlviii.  2;  Mat.  v.  35)  ;  of 
solemnities  (Is.  xxxiii.  40) ;  of  righteousness  (i.  26) ;  of  truth  (Zee.  viii.  3). 
Holy  C.  (Neh.  xi.  1  ;  Is  xlviii.  2  ;  Mat.  iv.  5) ;  Throne  of  Lord  (Jer.  iii.  17) ; 
C.  not  forsaken  (Is.  Ixii.  12) ;  Faithful  C.  (Is.  i.  21,  26) ;  Zion  of  Holy 
One  (Is.  lx.  14).  Description  :  beautiful  (Ps.  xlviii.  2)  ;  compact  (Ps. 
exxii.  3)  ;  comely  (Song  vi.  4)  ;  perfection  of  beauty  (Lam.  ii.  15  ;  joy  of 
earth  (Pa.  xlviii.  2  ;  Lam.  ii.  15) ;  princess  (Lam.  i  1) ;  great  (Jer.  xxii.  8) ; 
mountains  around  (Ps.  exxv.  2)  ;  wall  (1  K.  iii.  1)  ;  forts  (Ps.  xlviii.  12,  13). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—/^.   The   Church 

(Gal.  iv.  25,  26 ;  Heb.  xii.  22).  Church  glorified  (Eev.  iii.  12,  xxi.  2,  10)  ; 
protection  of  saints  (Ps.  exxv.  2)  ;  fulfilment  of  prophecy — see  above. 


Then  sunk  the  star  of  Solyma, 
Then  pass'd  her  glory's  day, 
Like  heath  that  in  the  wilderness 

The  light  wind  blows  away. 
Silent  and  waste  her  bowers 

Where  once  the  mighty  trod, 
And  sunk  those  guilty  towers 
Where  Baal  reign'd  as  God." 
(Moore.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. —  1.  Mercy  and  wisdom  of  God  in  providing 
such  a  capital  for  Jewish  people.  2.  Influence  of  such  a  city  in  giving 
political  power  to  a  people  who  once  were  not  a  people.  3.  Terrible  conse- 
quences of  rebellion  against  God.  4.  As  sin  involved  the  people  in  effects 
of  Divine  wrath,  so  their  repentance  seemed  His  mercy.  This  true  of 
individuals  as  of  cities. 


;  Lord,  Thou  didst  love  Jerusalem  ; 

Once  she  was  all  Thine  own ; 
Her  love  Thy  fairest  heritage, 

Her  power  Thy  glory's  throne  : 
Till  evil  came  and  blighted 

Thy  long-loved  olive-tree  ; 
And  Salem's  shrines  were  lighted 

For  other  gods  than  Thee. 


100  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Jerusalem,  Mod.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Political 

I.  Historical. — 1.  Name.  Heb.  Yerushalaim ;  lxx.  ; 'ic^ouo-oAt;^  ; 

N.T.  'lepoaoXvfui ;    vulg.  Hieriisalem  and  Ilierosolyma.     Called  also 

1.  Ariel—  the  lion  of  God  (Is.  xxix.   1,  2,  7,  cf.  Ez.  xliii.   16). 

==^==zg^_ —     g         ■  2.  jj  dym  IIoXis 

pg^  =  the  Holy 

:  .  City  (Mat.  iv. 

;--„....-     j.  /_',"  '-: ., -;Vri. ., ">.   ";._ .^.v; -,_...-   7  5,    xxvii.    5 .'3. 
HtrlJ^I ip-^r^^iljf*^)  '  :>>-  sEliu  C'api- 

tolina;  so  call- 

i'|  ed  by  Hadrian 

(.EiiuaHadri- 

f'f "  ~jg^^"~r~-        '"'"?'■  <  -  '•  -   -  ^SdHfiifil  anus)   on    bis 

rebuilding  the 
|B|8BBElhflMjB|^^^  city,  A.D.  135, 

;;  -W":7 "; "".'    1.56.  4.  Arabic 
ii  ames    are  : 

.JB^':';':'  wr  ;<t  -^  "  Khuds  = 
ilB^MP^^^^^^^gl'^fcaaS^^S^'n-.;!.  . > ...*  ;.  iw.u,;'-.,.  .  , ;■•  the  Holy  :  or, 
Modern  Jerusalem.  BeitelMakdis 
=  the  holy  bouse,  or  sanctuary.  2.  Mod.  Hist,  of  j.  fr.  time  of 
Neb.  (ab.  400  B.C.)  to  the  present  day.  See  Connexion.  Begin  here 
at  ab.  60  B.C.  Taken  by  Pompey  (63  B.C.),  who  entered,  but  did  not 
plunder  Temple  [Tacitus  Hist.,  v.  9).  B.C.  54,  Crassus  took  away  ab. 
£2,000,000  of  treasure.  B.C.  47,  Herod  makes  his  first  app.  (agsd  25, 
or  more  prob.  15)  at  J.  B  c.  40,  aft.  fighting  in  streets,  J.  fell  into  hands 
of  Parthians.  B.C.  39,  Herod,  having  ret.  fr.  Rome,  K.  of  Judaea, 
besieged  J.  at  bead  of  Rom.  army.  (J.  Wars,  i.  18,  2  ;  Ant.,  xiv.  16). 
B.C.  34,  Cleopatra  visited  J.  B.C.' 31,  B.  of  Actium  ;  earthquake  at  J., 
fr.  10,000  to  20,000  killed.  B  c  16,  Temple  finished.  B.C.  4,  Jesus 
Christ  born;  Herod  died  a  few  months  aft.  A.D.  29,  first  recorded 
vis.  of  Jesus  since  boyhood,  a.d.  43,  Paul's  first  vis.  aft.  conversion. 
A.D.  44,  murder  of  St.  James  (Ac.  xii.  1).  A.D.  66,  great  tumults 
betw.  Jews  and  Roras.  A.D.  70,  Titus  at  head  of  30,000  Roms.  besieges 
J.,  and  utterly  dest.  the  city.  Hadrian  builds  a  new  city,  and  a.d. 
136  named  it  .Elia  Capitolina,  and  forbade  Jews  to  enter  it.  This 
prohibition  cont.  in  force  till  ab.  350  A.D.,  when  they  were  permitted 
to  enter  once  a  year.  Its  name — Jerusalem — was  almost  forgotten, 
and  not  revived  till  time  of  Constantine  (ab.  a.d.  335).  Julian  (a.d. 
362)  attempted  to  rebuild  Temple,  with  design  of  restoring  Jewish 
worship  :  "  But  a  sudden  whirlwind  and  earthquake  shattered  the 
stones  of  former  foundations  ;  the  workmen  fled  for  shelter  to  one 
of  neighbouring  churches,  the  doors  of  wh.  were  closed  against  thein 
by  an  invisible  hand,  and  a  fire  issuing  fr.  the  Temple-mount  raged 
the  whole  day  and  consumed  their  tools.  Numbers  perished  in  the 
flames.  Some  who  escaped  took  refuge  in  a  portico  near  at  hand, 
wh.  fell  at  night  and  crushed  them  as  they  slept The  event 


T0PIC8    FOR   TEACHERS.  101 

Life.]  iJAy\i:i;s  a.xd  CUSTOMS.  [Jerusalem,  Mod. 

was  regarded  as  a  judgment  of  God  upon  the  impious  attempt  of 
Julian  to  falsify  the  predictions  of  Christ ;  a  position  wh.  Ep  War- 
burton  defends  with  great  skill  in  his  treatise  on  the  subject." 
(S.  B.  1).)  Aft.  having  been  captured  by  the  Persians  (June,  A.D.  614), 
and  recovered  by  Heracliua  (a.d.  628),  the  patriarch  Sophronius 
surrendered  it  to  the  Khalif  Omar  (a  d.  637).  It  remained  under 
Mohammedan  rule  for  many  yrs.,  Christian  pilgrims  being  treated 
with  great  severity.  The  crusaders  besieged  (June,  AD.  1099)  and 
took  it  (July  15th).  For  88  yrs.  it  was  in  Christian  keeping, 
Godfrey  of  Bouillon  being  first  Christian  king  ;  and  then  Saladin 
retook  it  a.d.  1187).  With  demolished  walls  it  was  ceded  to  Christians 
(1219),  and  David  of  Kerak  again  dismantled  it  (1239).  In  1243  it 
once  more  fell  into  Christian  hands,  but  the  year  after  it  "  again 
reverted  to  the  Mohammedans,  in  whose  hands  it  still  remains.  The 
defeat  of  the  Christians  at  Gaza  was  followed  by  the  occupation  of  the 
Holy  City  by  forces  of  Sultan  of  Egypt.  In  1277  it  was  nominally 
annexed  to  Sicily.  In  1517  it  passed  under  Sultan  Selim  I.,  and  his 
successor  Suliman  built  present  walls  (1542).  Mohammed  Ali,  Pasha 
of  Egypt,  took  possession  in  1832.  In  1834  the  Fellalim  held  it,  and 
in  1840,  after  bombardment  of  Acre,  it  was  again  restored  to  the 
Sultan  (S.  B.  D.  ;  see  Gibbon's  Dec.  and  Fall;  R.  B.  S.,  i.  365-407). 

II.  Bible  References. — Rom.  gov.,  seat  of  (Mat.  xxvii.  2,  19), 
trans,  to  Cassarea  (Ac.  xxiii.  23,  24,  xxv.  1-13).  Christ  preached  in  (Lu. 
xxi.  37,  38  ;  Jo.  xviii.  20);  miracles  in  (Jo.  iv.  45);  publicly  entered  (Mat. 
xxi.  9,  10 ;  C.  B.  N.  T.,  160).  AVept  over  (xxiii.  37 ;  Lu.  xix.  41 ;  G.  D.  N  T. 
160)  ;  crucified  at  (Lu.  ix.  31 ;  C.  D.  N.  T.,  98  ;  Ac.  xiii.  27,  29)  ;  Gospel 
first  preached  at  (Lu.  xxiv.  47;  Ac.  ii.  14  ;  C.  D.  N.  T.,  210);  Holy  Ghost 
first  given  at  (Ac.  i.  4,  ii.  1-5) ;  first  persecution  (Ac.  iv.  1,  vhi.  1)  ;  first 
Church  council  (Ac.  xv.  4,  6). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Julian,  the  apos- 
tate, ill.  the  folly  of  attempting  to  disprove  Divine  predictions.  2.  Its 
history  a  memorable  instance,  among  many,  of  fulfilment  of  prophecy. 

"  Lost  Salem  of  the  Jews,  great  sepulchre 
Of  all  profane  and  of  all  holy  things  ; 
Where  Jew,  and  Turk,  and  Gentile  yet  concur 
To  make  thee  what  thou  art !     Thy  history  brings 
Thoughts  mix'd  of  joy  and  woe.     The  whole  earth  rings 
With  the  sad  truth  which  He  has  prophesied 
Who  would  have  shelter' d  with  His  holy  wings 
Thee  and  thy  children.     You  His  power  "defied : 
You  scourg'd  Him  while  He  lived,  and  mock'd  Him  as  He  died." 

{Brainard.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1."  None  can  contravene  the  purposes  of 
God.  2.  An  awful  thing  to  fight  against  God.  3.  The  wise  and  merciful 
government  of  God,  better  than  the  capricious  and  arbitrary  rule  of  men. 


102 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHEES. 


Damascus.] 


Mi*\EI?J  AND  ■:C::.T01fcJ 


[Political 


I.  Description.— 1.  Name  :  Gk.,  Aa/inr7-K6s=Damascus =«<?<«•#?/, 
alertness,  perh.  in  i-ef.  to  its  traffic.  2.  Situation  :  53  in.  S.E.  of 
Beyrout;  in  a  vast  and  fertile  plain,  30  m.  in  diam.,  E.  of  Anti-Liba- 

nus,  watered  by  tbe  Barada 
(=  "  Abana  "  of  Bible  ;  see 
Us.  ofD.)  So  beautiful,  that 
Mohammed,  approaching  it, 
said,  "  '  Man  can  have  but 
one  Paradise  in  life — my 
Paradise  is  fixed  above  ;  " 
and  turned  away  without 
entering  that  glorious  city, 
lest  it  should  tempt  him  fr. 
his  prophetic  mission." 
(Stanley,  Serm.  in  East,  63; 
S.  S.  P.,  410;  Addison's 
M  Dam.  and  Palmyra,  ii.  92; 
Spj  Porter's  Five  Yrs.  in  Dam.) 
"  In  the  midst  of  this  plain 
lies  at  your  feet  the  vast  lake 
52  or  island  of  deep  verdure, 
J5g:  walnuts  and  apricots  waving 
gs.  above, corn  and  grass  below; 
:p  and  in  the  midst  of  this  mass 
of  foliage  rises,  striking  out 
its  white  arms  of  streets 
hither  and  thither,  and  its  white  minarets  above  the  trees  which 
bosom  them,  the  city  of  D." 

II.  Historical. — Ace.  to  Josephus  [J.  Ant.,  i.  6),  D.  was  founded 
by  Uz,  s.  of  Aram,  grand-s.  of  Shem.  First  named  in  Scripture 
(Ge.  xiv.  15)  in  con.  with  Abraham,  whose  steward,  Eliezer,  was  a 
Damascene  (xv.  2).  Tradition  asserts  that  Abram,  on  his  way  to 
O.naan,  stayed  some  time  at  D.  If  Haran  was  in  the  neighbourhood 
(ace.  to  Dr.  -Beke),  this  may  have  been  so.  D.  reduced  to  subjection 
by  David  (2  Sam.  viii.  5,  6 ;  1  Ch.  xviii.  5,  6),  who  prob.  allowed  a 
native  prince,  said  to  be  Ha  dad  {J.  Ant.,  vii.  5,  2),  to  retain  the 
throne.  In  time  of  Sol.,  one  Rezon  took  D.  (1  K.  xi.  23-25).  Aftwds. 
Ben-Hadad  occ.  the  district  (1  K.  xx.  34),  and  his  son,  the  foe  of 
Ahab.  (xx  ,  xxii ;  2  K.  vi.,  vii.)  To  him  succeeded  Hazael  (viii.  15), 
and  then  his  son  Ben-Hadad  (xiii.  3,  24),  in  whose  reign  it  may  have 
been  that  D.  was  subjected  by  Jeroboam  II.,  k.  of  Israel  (xiv.  28). 
We  hear  no  more  of  D.  till  time  of  Ahaz,  who,  having  asked  aid  of 
Tiglath-Pileser,  the  Assyrian  came,  killed  Rezon,  and  occ.  D., -where 
he  was  met  by  Ahaz  (xvi.  5-10).  This  predicted  (Is.  xvii. ;  Am. 
i.  3-5).  Further  troubles  foretold  (Jer.  xlix.  27-32) ;  fulfilled,  ace.  to 
Josephus  (/.  Ant.,  x.  9,  7),  by  invasion  of  Chaldeans.     It  aftwds. 


of  wall, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  103 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  customs.  [Damascus. 

pissed  into  hands  of  Persians  (Strabo,  xvi.  2,  19),  and  for  its  strength 
was  chosen  by  J  ►arius  as  a  store  for  his  treasures.     It  aftwds.  became 

a  possession  of  the  Gks.,  and  fr.  them  passed  under  the  Poms. 
(J.  Ant.,  xiv.  2,  3.)  In  N.  t.  times  it  was  the  scene  of  St.  Paul's 
conver.  (  \c.  ix  )  ;  part  of  kingdom  of  Aretas,  au  Arabian  (2  Cor.  xi. 
32) ;  later  it  was  reckoned  to  Decapalis.  It  grew  in  splendour  under 
the  Gks.,  and  when  taken  by  Mohammedans,  in  A.D.  634,  was  one  of 
chief  cities  of  E.  Taken  by  Turks  1006,  and  by  Tamerlane  1400. 
It  is  still  a  great  city  under  the  Turks.  Pop.  140,000,  of  whom 
12,000  Christians,  and  as  many  Jews.  In  consequence  of  a  dispute 
betw.  the  Druses  and  Maromtes,  the  Mohammedans  massacred  above 
3,000  Christians.  Many  were  rescued  by  Abd-el-Ivader.  Fund 
Pasha  executed  160  for  these  outrages,  and  by  conscription  made 
11,000  of  the  inhabs.  soldiers.  [Damask  linen  and  silk  first  manu- 
factured at  D.  Damask  rose  trans,  fr.  D.  and  brought  to  England  fr. 
S.  of  Europe  by  Dr.  Linacre,  physician  to  Her.ry  VIII.,  ab.  1540. 
D.  was  famous  for  its  steel  goods,  esp.  sword  blades,  first  introduced 
into  Europe  by  the  Crusaders.  Joannes  Damascenus,  author  of  Text- 
book of  Dogmatic  Theology  in  Gk.  Church,  b.  at  D.  ab.  700  A.D. ; 
called,  on  ace.  of  his  eloquence,  Chrysorrhoas  =  golden  stream.] 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  Association  of 

Abram  with  anc.  hist,  of  d.  may  ill.  the  rescue  fr.  oblivion  of  interesting 
spots  by  incidents  and  casual  allusions  of  sacred  writings.  2.  Eliezer 
served  Abraham.  The  world  servant  of  the  Church  (many  irreligious 
men  aided  Noah  in  building  the  ark).  3.  Eliezer  of  r>.  a  faithful  servant. 
Upright  men  among  the  heathen.  How  much  of  his  goodness  may  be 
traced  to  his  connection  with  the  patriarch?  4.  Most  beautiful  spots  of 
earth  have  oft.  been  the  scenes  of  greatest  crimes  and  disasters.  5.  No 
earthly  paradise  should  cause  us  to  forget  the  better  land.  "Here  we 
have  no  continuing  city."  6.  The  famous  r>.  most  celebrated  as  the  scene 
of  a  memorable  conversion.  St.  Paul's  spiritual  birthplace  (C.  D.  N.  T., 
22s) ;  next  to  Bethlehem,  the  most  important  and  influential  place  of 
nativity  in  the  world.  In  the  one  the  Master,  in  the  other  a  servant 
was  born.  7.  Contrast  between  Eliezer  and  Paul.  The  Gentile  servant 
negotiated  a  marriage  for  the  patriarch's  (Abraham  =  high  father)  son. 
Paul,  another  Gentile  servant  of  the  great  Father — our  Father  which  art 
in  Heaven — went  out  to  betroth  Jesus  to  the  Gentiles.  8.  Beautiful 
places  not  always  safe  for  good  men.  Paul  by  night  fled  from  d.,  and  by 
night  also  Lot  fled  from  Sodom.  9.  The  story  of  Naaman  a  comment  on 
the  world's  incompetence  to  supply  spiritual  needs  ;  and  formal  ablu- 
tions to  cleanse  away  moral  pollution.    (ft  D.  O.  T.,  248,  2.50.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Divine  calls  not  to  be  surrendered  for 
earthly  advantages  (Abram,  if  he  visited,  did  not  settle  in  r>.)  2.  The 
Divine  fountain  better  than  the  earth's  best  source  of  cleansing;  inas- 
much as  it  cleanses  the  heart.  3.  Man's  extremity,  God's  opportunity. 
The  time  of  the  fugitive  disciples'  great  perplexity  was  the  hour  of  Said's 
conversion.  4.  God  saves  useful  lives  ;  Paul's  escape,  5.  A  more  beau- 
tiful city  than  d.  awaits  the  Christian ;  in  which  he  shall  find  peace,  joy, 
and  eternal  security. 


104 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Cities  of  Galilee.J 


JUAXX£JIS  AXD  CUSTOMS. 


[Political 


Cana  (icilh  Water-Cisterns). 


I.  Description.— [Nazareth.]  Sig.  prob.  separated.  Not  named 
tin  o.  T.  In  lower  Galilee  ;  tr.  of  Zebulun.  W.  side  of  narrow  vale  ; 
IN.  of  plain  of  Esdraelon  ;  S.  of  Cana  ;  ab.  3  m.  fr.  Tabor,  and  16 

fr.  Tiberias.  Now 
■  called  En-Ndzirah. 
ji  Pop.  ab.  3,000. 
jp'  Shut  in  by  (it  is 
said)  14  hills;  N.  is 
hot,  and  its  views 
confined.  [Cana]= 
reedy.  Ace.  to  tra- 
dition, KefrKenna, 
4£  m.N.W.  of  Na- 
if zareth,  is  on  the 
.fw- '  site  of  Cana  ;  but 
r  ,,_  ,  Tr§  is  more  prob.  iden- 
~  tified  with  Kdnd- 
el-Jelil  (now  de- 
serted), ab.  9  m. 
from  Nazareth. 
[Csesarea  Philippi.]  Prob.  the  Baalgad  of  Jos.  xi.  17;  aftwds.  Panium, 
where  Pan  had  a  sanctuary.  Herod  Gt.  beautified  it,  and  built  a 
temple  in  honour  of  Augustus.  Philip,  tetrarch  of  Trachonitis,  im- 
proved it,  and  called  it.  aft.  the  Emperor  and  himself,  c.  P.  It  was 
aftwds.  called  Neronias  by  Agrippa  II.,  but  the  old  name  survived, 
and  Ca?sarea  Panias  is  found  on  coins,  while  Banias  to  this  day 
marks  the  anc.  site.  "  The  sit.  is  unique,  combining  in  an  unusual 
degree  the  elements  of  grandeur  and  beauty.  It  nestles  in  its  recess 
at  the  S.  base  of  the  mighty  Hermon,  wh.  towers  in  majesty  to  an 
elevation  of  7,000  or  8,000  ft.  above."  (R.  B.  R.,  iii.  404,  405.) 
[Capernaum]  =z  ?  City  of  Consolation.  In  Upper  Galilee  (Mat.  iv.  13), 
nr.  the  sea  (Jo.  vi.  17),  on  great  commercial  route  fr.  Damascus; 
hence,  some  think,  the  force  of  "  the  receipt  of  custom  "  (Mat.  ix.  9), 
i.e.  duties  on  commodities.  Once  important  and  flourishing.  The 
site  cannot  now  be  certainly  pointed  out.  (R.  B.  R.,  iii.  348-358  ; 
T.  L.  B.,  350).  [Bethsaida]  =  place  or  house  of  fishing.  (1)  Nr. 
Capernaum,  W.  shore  of  sea  (Mat.  xi.  21  ;  Lu.  x.  13);  city  of  Philip, 
Andrew,  Peter  (Jo.  i.  44,  xii.  21).  Porter  identifies  it  with  Et- 
Tabighah  (Handbk.for  Syria,  etc.,  428,  429).  (2)  There  was  another 
B.-s.,  not  far  off,  at  N.E.  end  of  sea  (comp.  Lu.  ix.  10 ;  Mk.  vi.  45,  viii. 
10,  13,  22;  but  see  T.  L.  B.,  372-374;  Ellicott's  Lecture,  207,  ».) 
[Tiberias.]  On  ~W.  shore  of  sea,  which  was  called  fr.  this  city  S.  of 
Tiberias  (Jo.  vi.  1,  23).  Built  by  H.  Antipas,  and  named  by  him 
aft.  Emp.  Tiberias.  The  present  Tubariyeh  is  ab.  4  m.  fr.  S.  end 
of  the  sea.  It  is  a  filthy  place,  fearfully  hot  in  summer,  and  with 
a  pop.,  ace.  to  Thomson,  of  2,000.     [Chorazin]  =  ?  district  of  Zin, 


TOPICS    FOR  TEACHERS.  105 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Cities  of  Galilee. 

at  modern  Tell  Hum  {Robinson),  or  2  m.  further  N.  at  Khorazy 
{T.  L.  B.,  359).  [Shunem]  =  two  resting-places.  Territory  of  Issachar 
(Jos.  xix.  18 ;  IS.  xxviii.  4 ;  2  K.  iv.  8) ;  native  place  of  Abishag, 
Durid's  concubine,  and  of  the  wealthy  lady  who  received  Elisha  ; 
now  called  Sulam,  on  slope  at  W.  end  of  Jebel-el-Duhy  (Little  Her- 
mon),  nr.  Zer'in.  [Nam]  =  pleasant.  Now  a  heap  of  ruins,  with  the 
anc.  name.  "  It  is  in  keeping  with  the  one  historic  incident  (Lu.  vii. 
11-17)  that  renders  it  dear  to  the  Christian,  that  its  only  antiquities 
are  tombs."    (T.  L.  B.,  445.) 

II.  Chief  Bible  References.— [Nazareth.]  (Lu.  i.  26,  27,  50 ; 
ii.  4) ;  home  of  Jesus  (Mat.  ii.  23,  iv.  13;  Mk.  i.  9  ;  Lu.  ii.  39,  51) ;  people 
seek  to  cast  Jesus  fr.  brow  of  hill  (Lu.  iv.  16-30  ;  C.  J).  N.  T.,  28).  Its  ill 
repute  (Jo.  i.  46).  [Carta.]  First  miracle  of  Christ  (Jo.  ii.  1-11);  noble- 
man's son  cured  (iv.  46,  47)  ;  home  of  Nathanael  (xxi.  2).  [Csesarea 
Philippi.]  Christ's  visit  to  (Mat.  xvi.  13  ;  Mk.  viii.  27  ;  Lu.  ix.  18). 
[Capernaum.]  Christ's  miracles  at  (Mat.  ix.  1-26,  xvii.  24-27  ;  Mk.  i. 
21-45,  ii.,  hi.  1-6;  Lu.  vii.  1-10;  Jo.  iv.  46-53,  vi.  17-25,  59)  ;  prophecies 
against  (Mat.  xi.  23  ;  Lu.  x.  15).  [Betlisaida.]  Blind  man  cured  (Mk. 
viii.  22) ;  prophecy  against  (Mat.  xi.  21  ;  Lu.  x.  13).  2.  5,000  fed  nr. 
(Lu.  x.  10  ;  Mat.  xiv.  13  ;  Mk.  vi.  32). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  Fate  of  Capernaum 

reminds  us  of  neglected  opportunities,  and  of  the  sin  of  slighting  Jesus. 
Almost  the  only  city  of  G.  remaining  in  anything  like  its  former  state 
is  that  of  Tiberias,  wh.,  as  our  Lord  does  not  appear  to  have  entered  it,  was 
not  involved,  with  other  cities  of  the  region,  in  the  guilt  of  rejecting  Him. 
"  Blue  as  the  Galilean  lake, 
Where  the  rent  tower  leans  o'er  the  sunny  wave, 
Which  ripples  round  the  ruined  battlements 
Of  old  Tiberias,  and  upon  its  bosom 
Receives  the  shadow  of  these  hanging  palms, 
The  relics  of  a  brighter,  happier  day, 
When  cities  girdled  all  the  smiling  lake, 
And  gardens,  clad  in  glorious  Syrian  verdure, 
Clasped  each  fair  city  in  their  soft  embrace."     {Anon.) 

2.  Caha  ill.  the  spirit  of  Jesus  in  the  house  of  feasting ;  and,  3.  Nain,  in 
the  house  of  mourning. 

"  He  said,  '  Arise  ! '  And  instantly  the  breast 
,  Heaved  in  its  cerements,  and  a  sudden  flush 
Kan  through  the  lines  of  the  divided  lips ; 
And  with  a  murmur  of  his  mother's  name, 
He  trembled,  and  sat  upright  in  his  shroud  ; 
And  while  the  mourner  hung  upon  his  neck, 
Jesus  went  calmly  on  His  way  to  Nain."     {Willis.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Gospel  rejecters  worse  than  those  who 
have  not  heard  the  good  news  (Jo.  xv.  22,  24).  2.  This  is  the  day  of 
our  gracious  invitation :  how  are  we  treating  the  Saviour  ?  Yet  a  little  while 
He  is  with  us. 


1(3$  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Cities  of  Samaria]         MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Political 

I.  Descriptive. — [Samaria]—  watch-post.    Founded  by  Omri,  and 
called  aft.  name  of  Shemer,  the  former  owner  of  hill  on  wh.  it  stood 
(1  K.  xvi  18, ,23,  -24).   Hcc-.ime  capital  of  Israel  (29,  xx.  43  ;  2K.  i.  2). 
Worship  of  Baal  set  up  in  s.  bv 
_  /  glS^     Ahnb  (1  K.   xvi.  32,  cf.  2  K.  x. 

-    18-28).    Besieged  time  of  Ahab 
t  -v'7-  and   Joram   by    Syrians   (1    K. 

-M\h nysfp:  -        **.  1-21,    2  K.  vi.'  24-33,  vii.); 

,-f-'  ■'ffi  Ifl^^B    !     ""  taken  alt.  3  yrs'.  siege  by  Assy- 

.   I  "ir  U-'?  )  ^'■Ij^j'j  H  'inns,  time   of  Hoshea  (xvii.  5, 

6,  xviii.  9,  10,  cf.  xvii.  24;  Ezra 
iv.  9,  10) ;  aft.  taken  by  Alex- 
ander (!t.,  and  subsequently  by 
John  Hyrcanus,  who  destroyed 
it.  Herod  embellished  it,  called 
it  Sebaste,  wh.  =  Augustus  in 
Gk.  It  is  now  a  heap  of  ruins 
nr.  mod.  village  of  Scbustuh.  8. 
was  a  beautiful  city,  "  a  crown 
of  pride"  upon  its  fruitful  hill 
(Is.  xxviii.  1  ;  T.  L.  B.,  468). 
[Shiloh]  =  peace,  place  of  rest 
Tr.  of  Epkriam.  N.  of  Bethel. 
Tabernacle  set  up  here  (Jos.  xviii  I) ;  hence  it  was  ecclesiastical  metro- 
polis (8-10,  xix.  51,  xxi.  2,  xxii.  12) ;  scene  of  Samuel's  call ;  of  Eli's 
judgeship,  etc.  (1  S.  i.  3,  9,  24,  ii.  14,  iii.  21,  iv.  3,  4,  12 ;  IK.  ii.  27). 
Little  more  heard  of  s.  aft.  removal  of  ark.  Ahijah,  the  prophet, 
dwelt  here  (1  K.  xiv.  2,  4).  S.  ruined  through  idolatry  (Ps.  lxxviii. 
60  ;  Jer.  vii.  12,  14,  xxvi.  6,  9,  xli.  5) ;  now  called  Seilun  (B.  L.  P., 
361-2).  [Jezreel]  =  God  has  planted  or  scattered  (Jos.  xix.  18)  ;  anc. 
city  of  Canaanites,  whom  Manassites  could  not  expel  (Jos.  xvi.  16) ; 
important  city  in  time  of  Ahab,  whose  palace  was  here  (2  K.  ix.  31)  ; 
now  called  Zer'in  (T.  L.  B.,  459-61).  [Dothan]  =  the  two  wells  (Ge. 
xxxvii.  17) ;  the  residence  of  Elisha  (2  K.  vi  13) ;  12  m.  N.  of  Samaria, 
and  now  called  Tell  Dothai-n  ;  on  the  great  caravan  road  fr.  Gilead 
to  Egypt  (cf.  Ge.  xxxvii.  25-28).  [Megiddo]  =  place  of  troops, 
anc.  seat  of  kingdom  conq.  by  Joshua  (Jos.  xii.  21),  in  S.AV.  of 
Esdraelon.  B.  of  M.  (Jud.  v.  19  ;  C  D.  O.  T.,  174) ;  fortified  by  Sol. 
(1  K.  ix.  15);  refuge  to  Ahaziah  (2  K.  ix.  27);  Josiah  mortally 
wounded  (xxiii.  29,  30  ;  2  Ch.  xxxv.  22-24) ;  now  called  El  Lejjun, 
fr.  Legio,  the  Rom.  name.  [Shechem]  =  shoulder-blade,  called  in 
opprobrium  (Jo.  iv.  5)  Sychar  =  drunken,  on  ace.  of  character  of 
people  (Ge.  xii.  6),  Sycheni  (Ac.  vii.  16).  Plundered  by  Simeon  and 
Seir  (Ge.  xxxiii.  ls-20  xxxiv.)  City  of  refuge,  q.r.  (Jos.  xvii.  7, 
xx.  7,  xxi.  21  ;  1  Ch.  vi.  67,  vii.  28).  Joseph  buried  here.  Joshua's 
lust  address  (Jos.  xxiv.  1-23,  32).     Abimelech,  native  of  (Jud.  viiL 


0-;t'm^     .-' 

- 

-.:?-■: 

^^^*e^r"^ 

~.~^^r 

.;^f» 

Samaria.    {Ruini 

:  of  Church  of  St.  John.) 

TOPICS    FOR    TEACnERS.  107 

L,ife.]  ItANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.         [Cities  of  Samaria. 

31);  destroyed  (ix.).  s.  was  at  first  seat  of  gov.  of  Israel  (1  K.xii.  1-19, 
25  ;  2  Ch.  x) ;  existed  aft.  destr.  of  Jerusalem  (xli.  5) ;  aft.  return 
Ir  captivity  it  became  centre  of  Samaritan  worship.  Birthplace  of 
Justin  Martyr.  Now  called  Nubians,  or  Nabhls,  fr.  Neapolis.  Pop. 
ob.  8,000,  but  only  fr.  15  to  20  Samaritan  families.  (T.  L.  B.,  470".) 
Ab.  2  m.  E.  is  Bal&ta,  where  Joseph's  tomb  is  believed  to  be,  and 
S.E.  is  Jacob's  well.  Thomson  thinks  that  the  village  of  Aschdr  = 
Sychar.     {T.  L.  B.,  472-3.) 

"  Here,  after  Jacob  parted  from  his  brother, 

His  daughters  linger'd  round  this  well,  now-made ; 
Here,  seventeen  centuries  after,  came  another, 

And  talk'd  with  Jesus,  wondering  and  afraid. 
Here,  other  centuries  past,  the  Emperor's  mother 

Shelter'd  its  waters  with  a  temple's  shade  ; 
Here,  'mid  the  fallen  fragments,  as  of  old, 
The  girl  her  pitcher  dips  within  its  waters  cold. 
And  those  few  words  of  truth,  first  utter'd  here, 

Have  sunk  into  the  human  soul  and  heart: 
A  spiritual  faith  dawns  bright  and  clear, 

Dark  creeds  and  ancient  mysteries  depart  ; 
The  hour  for  God's  true  worshippers  draws  near ; 

Then  mourn  not  o'er  the  wrecks  of  earthly  art : 
Kingdoms  may  fall,  and  human  works  decay, 
Nature  moves  on  unchanged — Truths  never  pass  away." 

{Clarke.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  [Samaria.]  Con. 
its  idolatry  with  its  downfall.  2.  [Shiloh.]  Unobtrusive  place,  chosen  as 
the  ark's  resting-place,  yet  a  blessing  to  rest  of  nation.  This  true  of  other 
places,  also  of  men.  3.  [Jezreel.]  Home  of  Ahab  :  scattered ;  so  are  all 
workers  of  iniquity.  4.  [Megiddo  ]  Com.  name  with  hist.  fact.  Its 
neighbourhood  the  battle-field  of  Palestine.  5.  [Sycriar.]  The  truths 
taught  at  the  well  have  outlived  the  place. 

"  Sweeter,  O  Lord,  than  rest  to  Thee, 

AVhile  seated  by  the  well, 
"Was  Thine  own  task  of  love,  to  all 

Of  grace  and  peace  to  tell. 
One  thoughtless  heart  that  never  knew 

The  pulse  of  light  before, 
There  learned  to  love — was  taught  to  sigh 

For  earthly  joys  no  more."  {Denny.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  God  honours  those  who  honour  Him. 
States  and  men  who  deny  Him,  are  insecure.  2.  Lasting  greatness  and 
influence  comes  fr.  God's  blessing  upon  practical  godliness.  3.  Wells  of 
truth  deep  :  we  have  nothing  to  draw  with  — Jesus  the  truth,  and  inter- 
preter of  truth.     4.  Are  we  thirsting  for  salvation  ?    Then  ask  of  Him. 


108 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Cities  of  Judah.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Political 


I.  Descriptive. —  [Bethlehem]  =  house  of  bread,  orig.  called 
Ephrath  or  Ephratah  =  fruitful  (Ge.  xxxv.  16-20,  xlviii.  7,  cf.  1  Ch. 
ii.  19,  50,  iv.  4)  ;  first  named  on  occasion  of  b.  of  Benjamin.     Little 

note  of  B.  in 
early  hist,  of 
Judah.  Not 
numbered 
in  list  of 
towns  (Mic. 
v.  2;  Ps. 
cxxxii.  6). 
Colonised 
by  Salmon, 
and  Hur 
(ICh.ii.  51, 
iv.4),  Naomi 
Ruth,  Boaz 
.     {View  of  the  Convent.)  dwelt      at 

David  born  at  (1  S.  xvi.  1,  xvii.  12)  ;  David 
14-16) ;  fortified  by  Rehoboam  (2  Ch.  xi.  6). 
Christ  born  at  (Mat.  ii. ;  Lu.  ii.  4,  15).  Herod  slays  children  of 
(Mat.  ii.  16-18).  6  m.  S.  of  Jerusalem  ;  now  called  Beit-lahm.  Pop. 
ab.  3,000.  Contains  Church  of  Nativity,  founded  by  Helena,  moth, 
of  Constantine  Gt.,  enclosed  in  convent ;  see  eng.  Two  spiral  stair- 
cases lead  down  to  Grotto  of  Nativity,  20  feet  below  floor  of  church. 
(See  also  T.  L.  B '.,  644-50.)  [Hebron]  —alliance:  also  called  Kirjah- 
arba  =  city  ofArba,  home  ot  Arba,  progenitor  of  Anakim  (Ge.  xxiii. 
2  ;  Jos.  xiv.  15  ;  Jud.  i.  10)  ;  ancient  (Nu.  xiii.  22  ;  Home's  Intro., 
ii.  593).  Here  Abraham  lived,  and  Sarah  died,  etc.  (Ge.  xiii.  18, 
xxiii.  2,  19,  xxxv.  27,  xxxviii.  14,  xlix.  29-32,  I.  13).  Hoham  k.  of 
(Jos.  x.  3-39)  ;  Amikims  of,  destroyed  (Jos.  xi.  21)  ;  taken  by  Caleb 
(Jos.  xiv.  6-15  ;  Jud.  i.  10,  20).  City  of  Refuge  (Jos.  xx.  7,  xxi.  11, 
13).  Gates  of  Gaza  brought  to  (Jud.  xvi.  3).  David  reigns  at 
(2  S.  ii.  1-11,  iii.)-  Abner  buried  at  (32).  David  anointed  k.  at 
(v.  1-5).  Absalom  rebels  at  (xv.  9,  10).  Rehoboam  fortifies  (2  Ch. 
xi.  10)  aft.  cap.  (Neh.  xi.  25).  Now  called  El-KhuUl,  22  m.  S.  of 
Jerusalem.  Pop.  ab.  8,000,  of  wh.  700  Jews.  (Bartlett's  Walks, 
216;  T.  L.  B,  583.)  [Jericho]  =  place  of  fragrance  (Na.  xxii.  1, 
xxvi.  13).  City  of  Palm-trees  (Deu  xxxiv.  3).  Rahab  (Jos.  ii.  ; 
Heb.  xi.  31).  Joshua  sees  capt.  of  host  (Jos.  v.  13-15).  Siege  cf 
(Jos.  vi.,  xxiv.  11) ;  given  to  Benj.  (xviii.  12,  21)  ;  home  of  Kenites 
(Jud.  i.  16);  taken  by  Eglon  (iii.  13).  David's  ambassadors  (2  S. 
X.  5).  Hiel  rebuilds  (1  K.  xvi.  34  ;  Jos.  vi.  26).  School  of  prophets 
at  (2  K.  ii.  4,  5,  15,  18)  Pekah  (2  Ch.  xxviii.  15).  Christ  heals  blind 
men  of  (Mat.  xx.  29-34  ;  Mk.  x.  46 ;  Lu.  xviii.  35).  Zaccheus  (Lu. 
xix.  1-10).     Now  a  wretched  village  called  Riha.     Original  J.  prob. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACITER8.  109 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Cities  of  Judah. 

stood  close  by  the  fount,  of  Elisha,  the  present  'Ain  es- Sultan. 
(T.  L.  Ii.,  613-17.)  [Bethel]  =  house  of  God  (Ge.  xii.  8,  xiii.  3);  first 
called  Lux,  and  aft.  B.  by  Jacob  (xxviii.  11-22,  cfi  xxxi.  13,  xxxv. 
1-15;  Hos.  xii.  4).  Deborah  buried  at  (Ge.  xxxv.  8);  conq.  by 
Ephraim  (Jud.  i.  22-2(5)  ;  Deborah  judges  at  (iv.  5);  worship  at 
(xxi.  19;  1  S.  x.  3);  Sam.  judges  at  (1  S.  vii.  1G).  Jeroboam's 
images  (1  K.  xii.  28  33 ;  2  x.  29)  ;  prophecy  against  (1  K.  xiii.  1-6, 
32;  2  K.  xxiii.  4,  15-20)  ;  the  old  prophet  (1  K.  xiii.  11-32)  ;  seliool 
of  prophets  (2  K  ii.  3;  mockers  destroyed  (23,  24).  Jeroboam  DZ.'s 
court  (Am.  v.  10-13).  Shalmanezer  (2  K.  xvii.  27-28)  aft.  cap. 
(Ezra  ii.  28).  Now  called  Beitin,  a  heap  of  ruins  ;  12  m.  N.  of  Jeru- 
salem. [Gerar]  =  lodging-place,  city  of  Philistines  (Ge.  x.  19). 
Abimelech  k.  of;  Abraham  and  Isaac  dwelt  in  (xx.  12,  vi.  6)  ;  Asa's 
victory  at  (2  Ch.  xiv.  13,   14). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  [Bethlehem  Eph- 

ratah.]    Fruitful  house  of  bread.    Christ,  the  bread  of  life  for  a  spiritually 
famishing  world,  born  here.     He  is  the  Star  of  Bethlehem. 
"  Bethlehem,  above  all  cities  blest ! 

The  incarnate  Saviour's  earthly  rest, 

Where  in  His  manger  safe  He  lay, 

By  angels  guarded  night  and  day  : 

Bethlehem,  of  cities  most  forlorn, 

Where  in  the  dust  sad  mothers  mourn. 

Now  see  the  heavenly  glory  shed 

On  each  pale  infant's  martyr' d  head: 

'Tis  ever  thus ;  who  Christ  would  win, 

Must  in  the  school  of  woe  begin  ; 

And  still,  the  nearest  to  His  grace, 

Know  least  of  their  own  glorious  place."     {KeWe.) 

2.  [Hebron.]  The  patriarchs  looked  for  a  better  country ;  all  they  abso- 
lutely possessed  of  the  Land  of  Promise  was  a  grave. 

"  Around  that  cherish'd  sepulchre  they  died, 
Heirs  of  a  vault, — lords  only  of  a  grave  ; 
And  after  all,  is  he  who  looks  with  pride 
Upon  his  ample  lands,  whose  forests  wave 
On  hills  unseen  from  his  baronial  door, 
The  absolute  lord  and  master  of  much  more  ?  "     (Burns  ) 

3.  Ruined  cities  of  Judah,  fulfilment  of  prophecy  ;  and  suggestive  of 
greatness  of  sin  of  rebelling  against  God. 

"  And  throned  on  her  hills  sits  Jerusalem  yet, 
But  the  dust  on  her  forehead,  and  chains  on  her  feet ; 
For  the  crown  of  her  pride  to  the  mocker  hath  gone, 
And  the  holy  Shechinah  is  dark  where  it  shone."   ( If'hitticr.) 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Be  not  covetous  of  wealth;  the  richest 
will  presently  have  but  a  grave.  2.  The  better  country  not  strewn  with 
the  ruins  of  once  happy  homes  ;  its  mansions  are  eternal.  3.  Canaan  had 
to  be  conquered,  and  its  proud  cities  taken  by  assault :  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  sull'ereth  violence.     We  must  "  strive  to  enter  in." 

Vol.  II.— & 


110 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Cities  of  Wilderness.]    MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Political 


I.  Descriptive. — Cities  of  Bashan  (Deu.  iii.  10-13).  [Asnterotn- 

Karnaim]  =  two-horned  Astarte,  the  goddess  worshipped  there  (Ge. 

xiv.  5);  the  capital  city  of  Og,  k.  of  B.,  and  aftwds.  belong  to  E.,half  tr. 

,_==  of  Manas- 


11).  It  has  been  identified  with  Kunaw&t,  where  are  still  some  fine 
ruins.  [Ediie]  =  strong,  one  of  chief  cities  of  B.  (Nu.  xxi.  33;  Deu. 
i.  4,  iii.  10;  Jos.  xii.  4,  xiii.  31),  has  been  identified  (Porter)  with 
EdWa,  where  are  extensive  ruins,  andab.  50  families  still  occupying 
some  of  the  massive  old  hou&es  (Vol.  I.,  135).  The  entire  district  is 
covered  with  massive  ruins  of  vast  cities. 

"  Once  more  we  look,  and  all  is  still  as  night — 
All  desolate  !     Groves,  temples,  palaces, 
Swept  from  the  sight ;  and  nothing  visible, 

save  here  and  there 
An  empty  tomb,  a  fragment  like  a  limb 
Of  some  dismembered  giant. " 
[Tadmor]  =  city  of  jJctlms,  built  by  Sol.  in  wilderness  (1  K.  ix.  18; 
2  Ch.  viii.  4).   Identified  with  Palmyra  of  Gks.  and  Roms.,  and  which, 
under  Odenathus  and  his  martial  queen  Zenobia,  expanded  into  a 
mighty  sovereignty,  rivalling  and  defying  for  a  time  the  power  of 
Rome.     Aurelian  "(273  A.D.)  took  the  city,  and  secured  the  person  of 
Zenobia. 

"  And  thy  proud  queen,  Falmyra,  through  the  sands 
Pursued,  o'ertaken  on  her  dromedary  ; 
Whose  temples,  palaces,  a  wondrous  dream, 
That  passes  not  away,  for  many  a  league 
Illumine  yet  the  desert."  (Rogers.) 

"  Palmyra  is  seated  in  an  oasis  of  the  Syrian  desert,  midway  betw. 
the  Orontes  and  the  Euphrates,  ab.  140  m.  E.N.E.  fr.  Damascus.  .  .  . 
Magnificent  ruins  give  proof  of  its  anc.  splendour.     The  most  re- 


Tones  fou  teachers.  Ill 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.    [Cities  of  Wilderness. 

markable  of  these  is  the  great  Temple  of  the  Sun,  wh.  was  enclosed 
in  a  court  1  7!)  ft.  sq.,  surrounded  by  a  double  row  of  columns.  GO  of 
the  original  390  are  still  standing' ;  and  of  the  sanctuary  itself  there 
are  massive  remains.  Of  the  columns  which  adorned  it,  ab.  20  muti- 
lated ones  now  exist."  (T.  B.  K.,  Tamor.) 

"  The  ground, 
League  beyond  league,  like  one  great  cemetery 
Is  covered  o'er  with  mouldering  monuments  ; 
And,  let  the  living  wander  where  they  will, 
They  cannot  leave  the  footsteps  of  the  dead." 
"  On  the  east  rose  the  great  Temple  of  the  Sun,  itself  almost  a  city 
for   magnitude.     To  the  right  and    left,  in    endless    variety,  were 
scattered  groups  of  columns,  and  single  monumental  pillars  ;  while 
everywhere  the  ground  was  thickly  strewn  with  broken  shafts,  and 
great  shapeless  piles  of  ruins,  all  white  and  glistening  in  the  bright 
sunlight.     Such  a  sight  no  eye  ever  saw  elsewhere."     {Porter.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  Cities  of  Bashm. 
Wonderful  fulfilment  of  prophecy  (Jer.  xlviii.  15-24 ;  Lev.  xxvi.  30 ; 
Is.  xxiv.  3,  xxxii.  14). 

a  Rude  fragments  now 
Lie  scattered  where  the  shapely  column  stood. 
Her  palaces  are  dust.     In  all  her  streets 
The  voice  of  singing  and  the  sprightly  chord 
Are  silent.     Revelry,  and  dance,  and  show 
Sutter  a  syncope,  and  solemn  pause  ; 
While  God  performs  upon  the  trembling  stage 
Of  His  own  works  His  dreadful  part  alone."     (Coivper.) 
2.  Palmyra  may  remind  us  that  neither  wealth,  nor  splendour,  nor  power 
of  man,  can  preserve  human  homes.     "  The  things  seen  are  temporal." 
"  Happy  Palmyra,  in  thy  desert  domes, 
Where  only  date-trees  grow,  and  serpents  hiss ; 
And  thou,  whose  pillars  are  but  silent  homes 
For  the  stork's  brood,  superb  Persepolis."     {Moore.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Gigantic  and  physical  strength,  and  its 
achievements,  mortal :  moral  works  eternal.  2.  Let  us  help  to  build  the 
city  of  God.  3.  We  may  never  see  these  remains  of  earthly  strength  and 
splendour,  yet  may  have  a  good  hope  of  beholding  the  eternal  city. 

[Addenda. — An  account  of  the  ruins  of  Palmyra  first  reached  some 
English  merchants  in  Aleppo  in  1691.  After  one  or  two  partially  suc- 
cessful attempts,  another  better  organized  expedition  reached  p.  in  1751. 
Describing  the  result,  Wood  and  Dawkins  say,  "  The  hills,  opening,  dis- 
covered to  us  all  at  once  the  greatest  quantity  of  ruins  we  had  ever  seen, 
all  of  white  marble,  and  beyond  them  towards  the  Euphrates  a  flat  waste, 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  without  any  object  which  showed  either  life 
or  motion.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  imagine  anything  more  striking  than 
this  view  ;  so  great  a  number  of  Corinthian  pillars,  mixed  with  so  little 
wall  or  solid  building,  afforded  a  most  romantic  variety  of  prospect." — 
Mains  of  Palmyra,  London,  1753.] 


112 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


Babylon,  etc.] 


MAX\/:r;3  and  customs. 


I.  Descriptive.— [Babylon.]  1.  Name  of  place  aftwds.  called  b. 
■was  Babel  =  confusion  (Ge.  xi.  8,  ©),  or  gate  of  II,  a  Babylonian 
deity.     2.  Situation  :  on  the  R.  Euphrates  (Ge.  xi.  31,  cf.  Jos.  xxiv. 


Scclpttres  from  Nineveh.     (Declaration  of  war.) 

2,  3),  q.  v.,  ab.  300  m.  fr.  the  mouth.  3.  Description:  If  accounts  of 
anc.  writers  (as  Herodotus,  Ctesias)  are  to  be  believed,  it  must  have 
been  of  wonderful  size  and  beauty.  In  shape,  square  ;  120  furlongs 
ea.  way.  Walls  50  cub.  thick  and*200  high.  (Jer.  li.  53-58) :  "  Upon 
the  top  of  walls,  and  along  the  edges  of  them,  they  constructed 
buildings  of  a  single  chambei*,  facing  one  another,  leaving  room 
betw.  for  a  four-horse  chariot  to  turn.  100  brazen  gates;  houses  3 
or  4  stories  high.  Taking  the  least  of  anc.  measurements,  B.  must 
have  =  4  or  5  times  the  size  of  London."  4.  Bible  kefs.  :  Origin 
(Ge.  x.  8,  10)  ancient  (xi.  4,  9) ;  enlarged  by  Nebuchadnezzar 
(Dan.  iv.  30) ;  golden  city  (Is.  xiv.  4) ;  glory  of  kingdoms,  and  beauty 
of  Chaldeans  (Is.  xiii.  19) ;  city  of  merchants  (Ez.  xvii.  4);  B.  the  great 
(Dan.  iv.  30),  noted  for  antiquity  (Jer.  v.  15),  naval  power  (Is.  xliii. 
14),  military  power  (Jer.  v.  16,1,  23),  wealth  (Jer.  1.  37,  li.  13), 
commerce  (Ez.  xvii.  4),  manufactures  (Jos.  vii.  21),  wisdom  (Is. 
xlvii.  10;  Jer  1.  35),  people  idolatrous  (Jer.  1.  38;  Dan.  iii.  18), 
loved  magic  (Is.  xlvii.  9,  12, 13  ;  Dan.  ii.  1,2),  wicked  (Is.  xlvii.  10; 
Dan.  v.  1-3).  5.  Present  state  of  B.  Nothing  remains  but  mounds 
of  rubbish,  and  heaps  of  bricks  covered  with  arrow-head  characters. 
Already  the  investigations  of  Rawlinson  and  others  have  thrown 
much  light  on  its  anc.  history,  and  strikingly  confirmed  the  Scripture 
narrative.  It  is  believed  that  other  and  far  more  wonderful  dis- 
coveries are  on  the  eve  of  being  made.  Sir  H.  Rawlinson  promises 
to  submit  evidence  that  Eden  was  the  old  and  original  name  of  B., 
that  he  has  found  the  4  rivers  mentioned  by  the  same  names,  that  he 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  113 

Life.]  MAHrsSM  AXD  CUSTOMS.  [Babylon,  etc. 

has  come  upon  accounts  of  the  Flood,  and  tower  of  Babel,  wh.  hear 
with  singular  directness  and  value  upon  the  Bible  narrative. 
[Nineveh.]  1 .  Name  =  habitation  of  Ninus  (?),  or  perh.  compounded 
with  name  of  the  deity  Nin.  2.  Situation  :  On  the  R.  Tigris,  q.v., 
ab.  600  m.  fr.  mouth,  "and  300  m.  N.  of  Babylon.  3.  Description  : 
Shape  an  oblong  sq.,  long  sides  =:  150  stadia,  short  =  90  stadia  ea.  = 
to  a  sq.  of  480  stadia,  var.  calculated  at  32,  60,  74  miles.  Larger 
than  Babylon  (Strabo)  ;  walls  100  ft.  high,  broad  enough  for  3  cha- 
riots abreast ;  flanked  with  1.500  towers,  ea.  200  ft.  high  (Diodorus). 
Layard  says  (ii.  247) :  "  If  we  take  the  four  great  mounds  ...  as 
comers  of  a  sq.,  it  will  be  found  that  its  four  sides  correspond  pretty 
accurately  with  the  480  stadia  or  60  m.  of  the  geographer,  wh.  make 
the  three* days' journey  of  the  prophet."  Till  ab.  30  yrs.  ago,  nothing 
was  known  of  N.  save  scattered  allusions  in  Bible,  and  in  casual 
notices  of  Assyrian  history  by  a  few  ane.  writers.  In  1841,  M.  Botta, 
French  consul  at  Mosul,  commenced  his  excavations  ;  and  ab.  the 
same  time  Layard  began  those  investigations  which  resulted  in  the 
discovery  of  the  foundations,  etc.,  of  many  temples  and  palaces  and 
idols  of  anc.  N.  4.  Bible  refs.  :  Origin  (Ge.  x.  11)  on  Tigris 
(Nali.  ii.  6,  8) ;  anc.  cap.  of  Assyria  (2  K.  xix.  36  ;  Is.  xxxvii.  37)  ; 
called,  bloody  city  (Nah.  iii.  1),  great  (Jon.  1,  2,  iii.  2,  3),  rich 
(Nab.,  ii.  9)  ;  strong  (iii.  12)  ;  commercial  (16)  ;  vile  (i.  14,  iii.  1,  4), 
careless  (Zep.  ii.  15),  populous  (iv.  11).  Jonah,  q.v.,  sent  to  (Jon.  i. 
2,  iii.  1-4)  ;  people  repent  (Jon.  iii.  5  9;  Mat.  xii.  41 ;  Lu.  xi.  32); 
destruction  averted  (Jon.  iii.  10,  iv.  llj.  Predictions  concerning 
(see  Predictions).  5.  Present  state  :  Utter  desolation  ;  "  the  face  of 
the  country  is- strewed  with  the  remains  of  pottery,  bricks,  and  other 
fragments."    [Layard.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Vanity  of  earthly 

splendour  and  power. 
"  Where  are  the  cities  which  of  old  in  mighty  grandeur  rose 
Amid  the  desert's  burning  sands,  or  girt  with  frozen  snows? 
Is  there  no  vestige  now  remains  the  wondrous  tale  to  tell, 
Of  how  they  blazed  like  meteor-stars,  and  how,  like  them,  they  fell  ? 
Hark  !  hark !  the  voice  of  prophecy  comes  o'er  the  desert  wide ! 
Come  down,  come  down,  and  in  the  dust  thy  virgin  beauties  hide : 
Oh,  '  daughter  of  Chaldea,'  thou  no  more  enthroned  shalt  be, 
For  the  desert  and  the  wilderness  alone  shall  tell  of  thee. 
Though  old  Euphrates  still  rolls  in  his  everlasting  stream, 
Thy  brazen  gates  and  golden  halls,  as  though  theyT  ne'er  had  been  ; 
Where  stood  thy  massy  tower-crowned  walls,  and  palaces  of  pride, 
The  dragon  and  the  wild  beast  now  therein  securely  hide  ; 
The  'besom  of  destruction '  o'er  thee  hath  swept  its  way 
In  wrath,  because  thine  impious  hand  on  God's  Anointed  lay." 

(Broumlee.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  God  the  avenger  of  His  people  (Lu. 
xviii.  7,  8).  Vengeance  is  mine,  etc.  (Ro.  xii.  19).  2.  Mercy  for  the  vilest 
who  repent.     3.  Delayed  judgment  gives  space  for  repentance. 


114  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Cities  of  Asia  M.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Political 

I,  Descriptive. —[Ephesus]  cap.  city  of  Ionia,  and  Roman  Asia, 
S.  of  R.  Cayster,  ab.  40  m.  fr.  Smyrna.  A  free  city  under  Rotns., 
with  its  own  officials  (Ac.  xix.  35,  38)  ;  celebrated  for  worship  of 

Diana  (see 
Heath  en 

^dlKHIBf  SH^  fLeJH^  „        Temples), 

JL,     whence  he 

fU**    th6f 
1 1  t  l  t  le    o  i 

#^.  "'.  "  .         fi^'Sj?^*'     v  €  Mica  pos 

M^f  ;.^     =  tfinplc- 

r>>     keeper  (3.3, 


■\m". 


ma  >■(/.),  and 
drove  a 
lucrative 


Pergamos.  manufac- 

tureof  "  shrines  "  (24),  i.e.  small  models  of  the  temple,  etc.,  wh.  being 
bought  by  visitors  were  set  up  in  their  own  houses.  The  games  in 
honour  of  Diana  were  presided  over  by  Asiarchs  =  chiefs  of  Asia 
(31).  Paul  vis.  E.  on  his  second  tour,  and  left  Aquila  and  Priscillo, 
who  taught  Apoilos,  an  eloquent  Jew  of  Alexandria  (xviii.  19-28). 
Paul  aftwds.  revis.  E.,  stayed  betw.  2  and  3  vrs.  (xix.),  and  aftwds. 
met  elders  of  the  Ch.  at  Miletus  (xx.  16-38).  Other  refs.  (1  Timi.  3  ; 
2  T.  i.  18,  iv.  12  ;  Rev.  ii.  1-7).  During  end  of  his  life  John  prob.  lived 
here.  Among  the  extensive  ruins  of  e.  there  is  a  Turkish  village — 
Ayasaluk.  [Smyrna]  =  myrrh,  40  m.  N.  of  Ephesus.  -  Destroyed  by 
Lydians,  and  lay  in  ruins  400  yrs.  Rebuilt  prob.  by  Alexander. 
Letter  to  Ch.  here  (Rev.  i.  11,  ii.  8-11).  Polvcarp  (martyred  106,)  was 
B.p  of  s.,  now  called  Ismir,  Pop.  120,000,  centre  of  Levant  trade, 
[Pergamos]  or  Pergamum.  In  Mysia,  on  R.  Caicus.  Famous  for 
great  library  given  by  Antony  to  Cleopatra  (parchment  invented 
•  here,  and  hence  its  name)  for  the  Niccphorium — grove  containing 
temples  of  Jupiter  and  Minerva,  and  esp.  for  worship  of  ^Escula- 
pius.  Letter  to  P.  (Rev.  i.  11,  ii-  12-17).  "Satan's  seat"  may  mean 
that  Satan's  work — persecution  to  death— was  already  rife  here. 
P.  is  now  called  Bergamah  [Thyatira]  in  Lydia,  on  11.  Lycus, 
betw.  Pergamos  and  Sardis.  Chief  trade  dyeing  of  purple  (Ac.  xvi. 
14  ;  see  Lydia).  Letter  to  T.  (Rev.  i.  11,  ii.  18-29).  It  is  still  a  large 
town,  called  Ahhasar,  with  many  ruins.  [Sardis]  cap.  of  Lydia  — 
the  kingdom  of  Crcesus,  on  R.  Pactolus.  Destroyed  by  earthq.  in 
reign  of  Tibernus,  and  rebuilt.  Letter  to  Ch.  ats.  (Rev.  i.  11,  iii.  1-6). 
Wasted  by  Turks,  dest.  by  Tamerlane.  Its  site  marked  by  wretched 
village  called  Sart,  or  Sart  Kalassi.  Ruins  of  S.  lie  around  [Phila- 
delphia] city  of  Lydia,  28  m.  S.E.  of  Sardis.  Built  (158-138  B.C.) 
by  Attalus  EL  Philadelphus,  whence  its  name.     Letter  to  Ch.  at  P. 


TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS.  115 

Life.)  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Cities  of  Asia  M. 

(Rev.  i.  11,  iii.  7-13).  "  Among  the  Gk.  colonies  and  churches  of  Asia, 
P.  is  still  erect,  a  column  in  a  scene  of  ruins,  a  pleasing  example  that 
the  paths  of  honour  and  .safety  may  sometimes  he  the  same."  {Gibbon, 
cap.  Ixiv.)  Now  called  Allah-shar.  Ruins  of  old  wall,  and  25  churches. 
[Laodicea]  rebuilt  by  Antiochus  II.,  and  named  after  Loadice  his 
wife,  who  aftwds.  poisoned  him.  In  S-  Phrygia,  nr.  Colossoe,  ab. 
G  m.  S.  of  Berapolis.  Bible  refs.  (Col.  ii.  1,  iv.  13-16;  Rev.  i.  11,  iii. 
14-22).  The  village  of  EsM-hissnr  now  stands  amid  the  anc.  ruins. 
[Troas]  seaport  nr.  Hellespont.  Paul  vis.  T.  twice  (Ac.  xvi.  8,  11  ; 
xx.  5,  G) ;  the  scene  of  the  vision  by  which  we  was  led  to  carry  the 
Gospel  to  Europe,  and  of  the  death,  etc.,  of  Eutychus.  Other  refs. 
(2  Cor.  ii.  12;  2  Tim.  iv.  13).  T.  is  now  called  Eslci-Stamboul. 
[Antioch]  in  Pisidia,  on  ridge  of  Taurus.,  vis.  by  Paul  and  Barnabas 
(Ac.  xiii.  14-51,  xiv.  19),  and  again  (21-23)  ;  prob.  vis.  again  by  Paul 
(2  Tim.  iii.  11,  cf.  Ac.  xvi.  1-4).  Yalobatch  now  stands  amid  ruins 
of  anc.  town.  [Iconium]  foot  of  Taurus,  E.  of  Antioch,  vis.  by  Paul 
and  Barnabas  (Ac.  xiii.  50,  51,  xiv.;  2  Tim.  iii.  11)  and  Silas 
(xvi.  1-6),  and  perh.  a  third  time  (xviii.  23) ;  now  called  Konieh,  with 
pop.  of  30,0(J0.  [Derbe]  in  Lycaonia  (Ac.  xiv.  6,  20,  xvi.  1,  xviii. 
23,  xix.  1).  "He  was  not  persecuted  in  this  place ;  and  therefore 
it  is  not  mentioned  in  2  Tim.  iii.  11. — a  minute  coincidence  confirm- 
ing the  credibility  of  the  sacred  narrative."  (T.  B.  K.)  [Perga]  where 
Mark  left  Paul,  a  town  in  Pamphylia  (Ac.  xiii.  13-14;  xiv.  25) 
[Lystra]  in  Lycaonia.  Prob.  Timothy  born  here  (Ac.  xiv.  6,  8-11, 
21 ;  xvi.  1,  2  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  11).  [Colosse]  city  of  Phrygia,  on  R.  Lycus, 
nr.  Laodicea  (Col.  ii.  1,  iv.  13,  15  1G),  ab.  3  m.  from  mod.  village  of 
Chonas.  Ch.  here  prob.  founded  by  Epapmas  (Col.  i.  7).  Angel- 
worship  (ii.  18)  known  to  have  aftwds.  prevailed  in  the  district. 
Philemon,  Onesimus,  Archippus,  prob.  lived  in  c. 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Other  churches  in 
Asia  besides  the  seven.  Why  letters  to  those  alone?  Perh.  because  of 
their  representative  character,  or  more  prob.  because  of  John's  relation  to 
them. — Ea.  Ch.  has  excellences  and  defects :  that  at  Ephesus  declining 
(Rev.  ii.  4);  at  Smyrna,  timid  (10)  ;  at  Pergamos,  worldly  ;  at  Thyatira,  an 
Antinomian  spirit;  at  Sardis,  formal ;  at  Laodicea,  lukewarmxess.  That  at 
Philadelphia  the  only  one  generally  commended.  No  perfect  Ch.  even  in 
apostolic  times.  The  Lord  had  "  somewhat  against  "  them.  Hence  im- 
perfection of  churches  no  valid  excuse  for  non-membership  ;  but  rather 
a  ground  for  humility,  self-examination,  prayer. 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Mercy  of  Christ  in  granting  His  presence 
to  his  imperfect  followers.  He  held  the  stars— the  ministers— in  His  right 
hand;  and  was  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks— the  churches. 
2.  Presence  of  Christ  to  inspect,  to  mark  both  excellences  and  defects. 
What  does  He  see  in  us  ?  3.  Are  we  holding  aloof  fr.  communion  with 
Christians  because  of  their  defective  piety  ?  4.  As  members  of  churches, 
what  are  we  ea.  doing  to  promote  the  holiness  and  extension  of  the  body 
of  Christ  ? 


116 


TOPICS    FOJt    TEACHERS. 


Cities  of  Greece.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Political 


I.  Descriptive.— [Athens]  cap.  city  of  Attica  :  contained  4 
noted  hills.  3  to  the  N.  formed  a  semicircle.  The  most  E.  of  these — 
the  Acropolis  (see  cut) — ab.  150  ft.  high.   The  most  W.  was  the  Pnyx, 

or  place  of  pub- 
lic assembly. 
L_    Betw.  these  was 
g    the    Areopagus 
|    —Mar's     Hill, 
g    The  4th,  on  the 
jj    S.,  was  the  mu- 
ll   seum.       In  the 
J    valley,       betw. 
tiie   4,  was  the 
I    agora  or  market 
5    place,     whence 
j™    Paul  was  taken 
-    to     Areopagus, 
f     where  he  made 
|    his    great     ad- 
dress (Ac.  xvii. 
18-31;  CD.N.T. 
254).  A.  is  ab.  5 
m.fr.thesea(the 
Athens.    {View  of  the  Acropolis,  restored.)  Piraeus  bein°-  its 

port),  and  is  the  cap.  of  mod.  Greece.  Pop.  60,000.  [Corinth] 
on  isthmus  of  c,  destroyed  146  B.C. ;  refounded  by  J.  Caesar.  Soon 
became  rich,  nourishing,  and  profligate.  Isthmian  games  ;  worship  of 
Venus,  etc.  Paul's  first  vis.  lasting  18  mo.  (Ac.  xviii.)  ;  second  vis. 
3  mo.  (Ac.  xx.  2,  S).  [Cenchrea]  =  millet.  E.  harbour  of  Corinth, 
fr.  wh.  dist.  ab.  9  m.  Paul  sailed  hence  on  return  fr.  second  journey 
(Ac.  xviii.  18).  A  Ch.  formed  here  (Ro.  xvi.  1  ;  village  of  Kikrics 
on  site  of  anc.  C  ;  and  millet — whence  its  name  —  still  grows 
here.  [Berea]  in  Macedonia,  whither  Paul  was  driven  by  persecu- 
tion fr.  Thcssalonica  (Ac.  xvii.  10-15);  his  friend  Sopater  was  of  B. 
Aftwds.  called  Irenopolis,  now  Kara  Feria,  with  pop.  of  ab.  18,000. 
[Thessalonica]  seaport  in  Macedonia,  so  called  fr.  wife  of  Cassander, 
its  builder.  8he  was  dau.  of  Philip,  father  of  Alexander  the  Great, 
and  so  named  because  he  heard  of  her  birth  the  day  of  his  victory 
over  the  Thessalonians.  Ch.  founded  by  Paul  and*  Silas  (Ac.  xvii. 
1-4;  1  Thes.  i.  9);  visited  T.  again  (xx.  1-3).  The  singular  word 
politarchai  =  "  rulers  of  the  city  "  (xvii.  6,  8)  may  this  day  be  seen 
on  anc.  arch  which  spans  the  street  of  mod.  Thessalonica,  or  Salotiiki. 
Its  pop.  is  ab.  70,000.  [Apollonia]  in  Macedonia,  betw.  Amphi- 
polis  and  Thcssalonica  (Ac.  xvii.  1),  one  of  several  towns  in  Europe 
and  Asia  dedicated  to  Apollo.  [Amphipolis]  =  around  the  city.  The 
Athenians,  who  colonised  it,  gave  it  its  name  because  the  Pv.  Strymoa, 


of  the  Acropolis,  restored.) 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  117 

Life.]  MAlWB&a  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Cities  of  Greece. 

on  -wh.  it  stands,  flowed  on  both  sides  (Ac.  xvii.  1).  [Philippi]  in 
Macedonia,  about  10  m.  ft.  Neapolis,  its  port,  where  Paul  landed  ; 
built  by  Philip.  Visit  of  Paul,  and  founding  of  Ch.  (Ac.  xvi.) ;  second 
visit  of  Paul  (Ac.  xx.  1-6). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — Athenians  ill.  lovo 

of  gossip,  anxious  to  hear  something  new.     Philosophic  and  superstitious. 
With  all  their  wisdom,  they  knew  not  God  (Ac.  xvii.  27  ;  1  Cor.  i.  21). 
"  Athens  !  the  eye  of  Greece,  mother  of  arts 

And  eloquence,  native  to  famous  wits, 

Or  hospitable  in  her  sweet  recess. 

City  or  suburban,  studious  walks  and  shades  ! 

See  there  the  olive  groves  of  Academe, 

Pluto's  retirement,  where  the  Attic  bird 

Thrills  her  thick- warbled  notes  the  summer  long. 

....    Within  the  walls  then  view 

The  schools  of  ancient  sages ;  his  who  bred 

Great  Alexander  to  subdue  the  world. 

Lyceum  there,  and  painted  Stoa  next."     (3filton.) 
Corinth  in  her  decay  ill.  the  fatal  consequences  of  wealth  abandoned .  to 
vice  and  luxury. 

"  Whose  gorgeous  fabrics  seem'd  to  strike  the  skies ; 

Whom,  though  by  tyrant  victors  oft  subdued, 

Greece,  Egypt,  Rome,  with  awful  thunder  view'd. 

Her  name  for  Pallas'  heavenly  art  renown'd, 

Spread  like  the  foliage  which  her  pillars  crown'd ; 

But  now  in  fatal  desolation  laid, 

Oblivion  o'er  it  draws  a  dismal  shade." 
Ruins  of  anc.  cities  a  reminder  of  the  truth  that  "  except  the  Lord  keep 
the  city,  the  watchman  waketh  but  in  vain"    (Ps.  exxvii.  1).     Among 
these  ruins  are  the  prominent  remains  of  many  temples,  the  sole  material 
relics  of  a  died-  out  creed. 

"  Majestic  fanes  of  deities  unknown  ! 

Ages  have  roll'd  since  here  ye  stood — alone ; — 

Since  your  walls  echoed  to  the-sacred  choir, 

Or  blazed  your  altars'  sacrificial  fire. 

And  now — the  wandering  classic  pilgrim  sees 

The  wild  bird  nestling  in  the  sculptured  frieze ; 

Each  fluted  shaft  by  desert  weeds  embraced, 

Triglyphs  obscured,  entablatures  defaced  ; 

Sees  ill-timed  verdure  clothe  each  awful  pile, 

.While  Nature  lends  her  melancholy  smile, 

And  misplaced  garniture  of  flowers  that  shed 

Their  sweets,  as  if  in  mockery  of  the  dead."    {Rogers.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — Human  creeds  unsatisfying.  Human  sys- 
tems of  religion  possess  no  vital,  perpetuating  force.  Need  of  a  direct 
revelation  seen  in  insuflieiency  of  unaided  reason.  Mcst  voluptuous 
pleasures  unsatisfying :  in  midst  of  Corinth  were  men  who  sought  some 
higher  good. 


118  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Cities  of  the  Coast.]        MA&yjZRS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Political 


I.  Descriptive.  [Antioch]  or  A.  the  Great,  and  A.  Epidaphnes 
(=  by  Daphne,  where  were  grove  and  sanctuary  of  Apollo),  300  m. 
N.  of  Jerusalem  ;  30  m.  fr.  sea,  on  R.  Orontes.     Cap.  of  Syria.     3rd 

city  of  empire,  aft.  Rome 

^_     and  Alexandria.      "  The 

|     temple  {Apollo)  and  the 

H     village    (iJaphne)     were 

=    deeply  bosomed  in  a  thick 

.^     grove  of  laurels  and  cy- 

ap    presses,  wh.  reached   as 

ik    far  as  a  circumference  of 

g     10  m.,  and  formed  in  the 

f.  -  most    sultry   summers    a 

:*hS§    cool    and     impenetrable 

|§Ky^'^*^jx^'r  -,-;,'     shade.  Athousand  streams 

of  tin.'  purest  water,  is- 
-'-'/  suing  fr.  every  hill,  prc- 

Vv*       V!'i"">'>a___«~"^  ^' »'  ~^^5i^S?0    served  the  verdure  of  the 
"■*=*-     "^~      J*x^^t.  «^^^  «„      -   _-£=■       earth,  and  the  tempera- 
Tyre-  ture  of  the  air."  (Gibbon, 

ch.  xxiii.)  Very  pop.  150  yrs.  aft.  found.  100.000  persons  were  slain 
by  the  Jews  in  one  day:  In  time  of  Chrvsostom  200,000,  half  being 
Christians.  People  fond  of  pleasure  and  luxury,  fond  of  inventing' 
nicknames  :  hence  Christian  (Ac.  xi.  26).  It  very  early  received  the 
Gospel  (vi.  5).  Hence  Barnabas  and  Saul  vis.  A.  (xi.  19-26),  and 
eminent  men  laboured  here  (xiii.  1)  ;  first  missionary  effort  fr.  A. 
(2-52,  xiv.),  fr.  wh.  the  Gospel  intro.  into  Europe  (xv.  26.  xvi.  12); 
discussions  on  doctrine  (xv.  1,2;  Gal.  ii.  11-14).  Ignatius,  Chrysostora 
connec.  with.  Now  called  Antakia.  Pop.  10,000.  Many  ruins  of  anc. 
city.  (C.  B.  N.  T„  244.)  [sidon]  =  fishery  (Ac.  xxvii.  3).  20  m. 
N.  "of  Tyre;  40  S.  of  Beirut.  More  anc.  than  Tyre  (Ge.  x.  15) ;  allotted 
Asher  (Jos.  xix.  28)  ;  not  possessed  by  it  (Jud.  i.  31,  cf.  iii.  3,  x.  12). 
People  luxurious  (xviii.  7).  In  time  of  David  s.  was  under  Tvre 
(1  K.  xi.  1,  5,  33,  xvi.  31  ;  2  K.  xxiii.  13,  cf.  Ez.  xxvii.  8)  ;  but 
aft.  we  find  kings  of  s.  (Jer.  xxv.  32,  xxvii.  3).  Supplied  cedar  to 
David  (1  Ch.  xxii.  4)  ;  to  Solomon  (1  K.  v.  6)  ;  for  second  temple 
(Ezr.  iii.  7).  Jezebel,  q.  v.,  dau.  of  Eth-baal,  k.  of  s.,  mar.  Ahab. 
Prophecies  against  (Jer.  xxv.  22,  xxvii.  3-11,  xlvii.  4;  Ez.  xxviii. 
21-23,  xxxii.  30;  Joel  iii.  4-8).  Jesus  nr.  s  (Mat.  xv.  21-28  ;  Mk. 
vii.  24-31)  ;  people  of,  come  to  Him  (Mk.  iii.  8  ;  Lu.  vi.  17).  Paul 
vis.  (Ac.  xxvii.  3).  Herod  (Ac.  xii.  20-23).  See  Ashtaroth,  Baal,  etc. 
Now  called  Saida.  Pop.  10,000.  (T.  L.  B.,  108,  109.)  [Zarephath] 
=  ?  smelt iny-house.  Midway  betw.  Sidon  and  Tyre  (1  K.  xvii.  8-24  ; 
Obad.  20).  Sarepta  of  N.  t.  (Lu.  iv.  26)  ;  a  miracle  here,  or  near 
(Mat.  xv.  21-28);  now  Sara/end,  a  village;  many  ruins  around. 
[Tyre]  =  rock.    Part  on  an  island  ;  part  on  coast  called  Palaetyrus 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACTTERS.  119 

MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.        [Cities  of  the  Coast. 

—  ,dd  T.  Called  dim.  of  Sidon  (Is.  xxiii.  12)  ;  anc.  and  splendid  (xxiii. 
7,  8;  Zee  ix.  3);  trade  (1  K  ix  26-28,  x.  11  ;  Is.  xxiii.  ;  Ez.  xxvii., 
xxviii.;  Zee.  ix.  2);  situation  (Hos.  ix.  13)'  strong  (.Jos.  xix.  29; 
2  S.  xxiv.  7),  N.  bound,  of  Asher  (Jos.  xix.  20)  in  time  of  David 
(2  S.  xxiv.  7)  Hiram  king  of  (2  S.  v.  1 1  ;  lK.v.1;  1  Ch.  xvi.  1  j 
2  Ch.  ii.  3,  etc.)  Hostile  to  Israel  (Ps  lxxxiii.  7  ;  Joel  iii.  4-6). 
Siege  bv  Nebuchadnezzar  (Ez.  xxix.  18,  xxiv.  7).  Jesus  near  (Mat. 
xv.  21-28  j  Mk.  vii.  24-31);  people  of,  come  to  Him  (Mk.  iii.  8; 
Lu.  vi.  17).  Paul  vis.  (Ac.  xxi.  3,  4).  Herod  (Ac.  xii.  20-23). 
Prophecies  (Ps.  xlv.  12,  lxxxiv.  4  ;  Is.  xxiii.;  Jer.  xxv.  22,  xxvii. 
1-11,  xlvii.  4 ;  Ez.  xxvi. -xxviii.  ;  Joel  iii.  4-8;  Am.  i.  9,  10  j  Zee. 
ix.  2-4).  The  island  now  unoccupied,  save  by  fishermen  (Ez.  xxvi. 
14).  Present  city  Stir  stands  on  junction  of  island  and  isthmus  ; 
houses  mere  hovels  ;  streets  are  narrow  lanes,  crooked  and  filth  v. 
Pop.  ab.  3,500.  {R.B.  It,  ii.  464-406;  T.  L.  B.,  178-185.)  [Joppa] 
=z  beauty,  or  Japho,  seaport  in  Dan  (Jos.  xix.  46);  cedar  brought 
to  (2  Ch.  ii.  16  ;  Ezr.  iii.  7).  Jonah  (Jon.  i.  3;  see  Whale  ;  C.  D.  O.  T., 
260).  Dorcas  (Ac.  ix.  36-43).  Peter's  vision  (x.  9-18).  Tanneries 
still  exist  on  the  shore.  They  show  the  house  of  Simon,  and  grave 
of  Dorcas.  Now  called  Jaffa.  Pop.  1  5,000.  (T.  L.  B.,  515-519.) 
Said  to  be  the  place  where  Perseus  delivered  Andromeda.  J.  taken 
by  Saracens  (636)  ;  by  Crusaders  (1191)  ;  by  Bonaparte  (Feb.  1799). 
French  expelled  by  British  in  June  following.  Ace.  to  Sir  Robt. 
"Wilson,  3,800  prisoners  massacred  by  Bonaparte.  This  not  proved. 
[Aecho]  =  heated  sand.  30  m.  S.  of  Tyre.  Aftwds.  Ptolemais  (Ac. 
xxi.  7);  now  St.  Jean  d'Acre.  [Ceesarea.]  70  m.  N.W.  of  Jerusalem. 
Built  in  10  yrs.  by  Herod  ;  by  him  named  C.  in  honour  of  Augustus. 
Often  ref  to  in  Acts.  Home  of  Philip  (viii.  40,  xxi.  8).  Peter  vis. 
Cornelius  at  (x.,  xi.)  Herod's  death  at  (xii.  19-23).  Paul  escapes  to 
(ix.  30) ;  vis.  disciples  at  (xviii.  22,  xxi.  8-16)  ;  taken  by  guard  to, 
etc.  (xxiii.  23-:>5,  xxiv.-xxvi  )  It  has  perished,  but  its  site  is  jet 
named  Kaisariyeh.    (T.  L.  B.,  491-496.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — Present  state  of  Tyre 

a  wonderful  and  literal  fulfilment  of  prophecy. 

III.  Practical  Hints. — Opprobrious  epithets  {Christians)  may  be- 
come badges  of  honour  («f.  Puritan,  Methodist,  etc.  See  Foster's  Essay 
on  Epithet  Romantic).  Not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  Word  shall  fail, — all 
shall  be  fulfilled  (2  Tim.  ii.  13). 

"  Ere  long  came  on  a  traveller,  slowly  paced  ; 

Now  east,  now  west,  he  turn'd  with  curious  eye, 

Like  one  perplex'd  with  an  uncertainty. 

Awhile  he  look'd  upon  the  sea,  and  then 

Upon  a  book,  as  if  it  might  supply 

The  thing  ho  lack'd  ;  he  read,  and  gazed  again; 
Yet  as  if  unbelief  so  on  him  wrought, 
He  might  not  deem  that  shore  tho  shore  he  sought." 

(Howitt.) 


120 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Borne.] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Political 


Paul  before  agrippa. 


I.  Descriptive.—"  That  great  city  wh.  reigned  over  the  kings 
of  the  earth"  (Rev.  xvii.  18). 

"  While  stands  the  Coliseum,  Eome  shall  stand  ; 
"When  falls  the  Coliseum,  Rome  shall  fall ; 
And  when  Rome  falls,— the  world."  {Byron.) 

Ace.  to  Bede,  the  saying  of  pilgrims  in  the   8th    century.       Not 

named  in  o.  T.  ;  first,  in 
Apocrypha  (1  Mac.  i.  10, 
etc.)  [For  desc.  of  R*  in 
days  of  Paul,  see  Conybeare 
and  Howson,  ch.  xxiv.; 
Smith's  Die.  of  Gk.  and 
Rom.  Geoff.,  etc.]  Pop.  var. 
estimated  at  from  500,000 
to  even  14,000,000.  Most 
likely  ab.  1,200,000(  G'i'Moh). 
The  Empire  raised  to  the 
highest  pitch  by  Augustus 
— time  of  Christ.  It  was  ab. 
2,000  m.  broad,3,000  m.  long. 
Sit.  in  finest  pt.  of  Temperate  zone  ;  cont.  1,200,000  sq.  m.  of  fertile 
and  well-cultivated  land.  Pop.  120,000,000.  {Gibbon.)  The  condition 
of  Rom.  world  was,  in  God's  providence,  well  suited  for  intro.  and 
spread  of  Gospel  in  time  of  Christ.  Civilized  nations  under  one  gov. 
By  means  of  2  languages — Gk.  and  Lat. — men  might  be  anywhere 
understood.  Ready  communication,  good  roads,  peace  generally 
prevailing,  despotism  reduced  all  subjects  to  one  level,  corruptions  of 
heathenism,  felt  insufficiency  of  popular  mythology,  and  philosophy, 

all  "gave  free  scope  to  a  religion  which  taught  that  there  was  a 

beneficent  Creator,  who  was  no  respecter  of  persons,  and  who  in  pity 
for  the  ignorance  of  man  had  sent  a  Divine  Teacher  to  procure  and 
bestow  a  higher  happiness  than  reason  ever  had  conceived.  At  the 
fitting  moment  the  prop,  remedy  was  applied  to  world's  need  (Gal. 
iv.  4).  It  was  a  wise  Providence  that  selected  the  days  of  this 
empire  for  the  setting  up  of  a  kingdom  which  shall  never  be  de- 
stroyed, Dan.  ii.  44."  {T.  B.  K.)  It  was  of  the  city — Rome,  the 
splendid  cap.  of  this  vast  empire — that  Augustus  boasted  "  he  had 
found  it  of  brick,  and  should  leave  it  of  marble." 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Rome  and  the  Empire.— Fr.  size,  called 

the  world  (Luke  ii.  1) ;  represented  by  legs  of  iron  (Dan.  ii.  33,40)  ;  terrible 
beast  (vii.  7,  19).  Rome  the  cap.  (Ac.  xviii.  2,  xix.  21)  ;  Judaea  prov.  of 
(Lu.  hi.  2  ;  Ac.  xxiii.  24,  2  S,  xxv.  1).  Judicial  affairs  :  The  accused  exam, 
by  scourging  (Ac.  xxii.  24-29);  deli  v.  to  soldiers  for  execu.  (Mat.  xxvii. 
26,  27)  ;  accusation  over  head  (Jo.  xix.  19)  ;  garments  given  to  guard 
(Mat.  xxvii.  35  ;  Jo.  xix.  23)  ;  prisoners  chained  to  soldiers  (Ac.  xxi.  33, 
cf.  xii.  6 ;  2  Tim.  i.  16,  cf.  Ac.  xxviii.  16);  accusers  and  accused  con- 
fronted (xxiii.  35,  xxv.  16-19)  ;  accused  protected  fr.  populace  (xxiii.  20, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  121 

Life.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Rome. 

21-27);  power  of  life  and  death  vested  in  officials  (Jo.  xviii.  31,  39, 40,  xix. 
10);  appeals  to  EmpcrorfAc.  xxv.  11,  12) ;  those  who  appealed  brought  before 
Caesar  (xxvi.  32).  Citizenship  by  purchase  and  by  birth  (xxii.  28) ;  such 
exempt  fr.  scourging  (xvi.  37,  38,  xxii.  25).  Emperors  :  Tiberius  (Lu.  iii.  1); 
Augustus  (ii.  1),  Claudius  (Ac.  xi.  28)  ;  Nero  (Phi.  iv.  22  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  17). 
Predictions  :  Universal  dominion  (Dan.  vii.  23) ;  division  into  10  pts. 
(ii.  41-43,  viii.  20,  24).  Origin  of  Papal  power  in  (vii.  8,  20-25). 

III.  Papal  Rome.— The  Papacy  said  to  have  been  founded  by  St. 
Peter,  who,  it  is  asserted,  was  first  Bp.  of  Rome.  But  there  is  no  evi- 
dence of  his  having  been  at  Rome.  Even  if  it' be  true  that  he  took  part 
in  establishing  Christianity  at  Pome,  his  soul  would  have  revolted  from 
the  charge  of  founding  "  Satan's  masterpiece."  Roman  Catholicism  and 
Apostolical  Christianity  essentially  different  things  in  both  theory  and 
practice.  R.  C.  is  Christianity  paganized  to  the  extent  of  eliminating  all 
Christian  doctrine  and  practice ;  hence  Luther  said,  "  He  who  goes  to 
Rome  the  first  time,  seeks  a  knave ;  he  who  goes  the  second  time,  Jinds  a 
knave  ;  he  who  ventures  the  third  time,  brings  a  knave  back  in  his  own 
person."  And  Ranke,  a  Catholic  when  he  be«;an  to  write  the  "  Lives  of 
the  Popes,"  became  a  Protestant  before  he  had  finished  that  work.  A 
true  and  complete  hisfc.  of  Roman  pontiffs,  saints,  doctrines,  and  prac- 
tices would  prove  an  unanswerable  refutation  of  the  assertion  that  the 
R.  Catholic  is  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ.  Nevertheless  there  may  be 
good  Catholics,  as  in  the  most  heretical  churches  there  are  some  better 
than  their  creed. 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  The  dif.  betw.  "the 
most  high  and  palmy  state  of  Rome  "  and  present  degradation  ill.  the 
insufficiency  of  a  baptized  paganism  to  infuse  life,  vigour,  and  morality 
into  a  people.     2.  Its  present  corruption  and  decay  prophetic  of  its  end. 

"  To  seek  for  Rome,  vain  stranger,  art  thou  come, 
And  find'st  no  mark,  within  Rome's  walls,  of  Rome  ? 
See  here  the  craggy  walls,  the  towers  defaced, 
And  piles  that  frighten  more  than  once  they  pleased : 
See  the  vast  theatres,  a  shapeless  load, 
And  sights  more  tragic  than  they  ever  show'd. 
This,  this  is  Rome  !    Her  haughty  carcass  spread, 
Still  awes  in  ruins,  and  commands  when  dead. 
The  subject  world  first  took  from  her  their  fate  ; 
And  when  she  only  stood  un conquer' d  yet, 
Herself  she  last  subdued,  to  make  the  work  complete." 

( Vitalis.) 

V.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Faithfully  guard,  humbly  receive,  and 
zealously  live  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  2.  To  think  to 
improve  upon  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ,  is  to  be  "  corrupted  from  " 
it — is  impious  and  absurd. 

*'  To  gild  refined  gold,  to  paint  the  lily, 
To  throw  a  perfume  on  the  violet, 
To  smooth  the  ice,  or  add  another  hue 
Unto  the  rainbow,  or  with  taper-light 
To  seek  the  beauteous  eye  of  heaven  to  garnish, 
Is  wasteful  and  ridiculous  excess."    (Shakspeare.) 


122 


TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS. 


Music] 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 


[Fine 


I.  Descriptive. — [Gk.  mousike  (techne,  art) ;  Lat.  musica  ;  Fr. 
musigue],  "  A  combination  or  succession  of  sounds  having  the 
property  of  pitch,  so  arranged  as  to  please  the  ear.  The  pleasure 
derived  fr.  music  arises  fr.  its  exciting,  agreeable  sensations,  and 
raising  pleasing  mental  images  and 
emotions.  Apart  fr.  -words,  it  ex- 
presses passion  and  sentiment ;  and 
linked  to  words,  it  loses  its  vagueness, 
and  becomes  a  beautiful  ill  of  lan- 
guage." "  Music's  golden  tongue  * 
(Keats)  discourses  in  a  language  known 
to  all;  so  that  the  poet  [Shakspeare) 
has  said — 

"  The  man  that  hath  no  music  in  himself, 
Nor  is  not  mov'd  with  concord  of  sweet 

sounds, 
Is  fit  for  treasons,  stratagems,  and  spoils  ; 
The  motions  of  his  spirit  are  dullas  night, 
And  his  affections  dark  as  Erebus. 
Let  no  such  man  be  trusted." 
An  art  having  such  universal  attractions,  and  by  its  nature  fitted 
to  aid  in  Divine  worship,  is  oft.  referred  to  in  Scripture.  Its  invention 
(Ge.  iv.  21)  ;  vocal  (2  S.  xix.  35  ;  Ac.  xvi.  25)  ;  instrumental  (Dan. 
vi.  18)  ;  promoted  joy.  unsanctified— vain  (Ecc.  ii.  8-11) ;  thought  to  be 
efficacious  in  mental  disorders  (1  S.  xvi.  14-17,  23).  Effects  on 
prophets  (1  S.  x.  5,  6 ;  2  K.  iii.  15) ;  app.  for  temple  use  (1  Ch.  xvi. 
4-6,  xxiii.  5,  6,  xxv.  1  ;  2  Ch.  xxix.  25).  Used  in  parting  with  friends 
(Ge.  xxxi.  27)  ;  sacred  processions  (2  S.  vi.  4,  5,  15  ;  1  Ch.  xiii.  6-8, 
xv.  27.  28)  ;  founding  temple  (Ezr.  iii.  9,  10)  ;  consecration  of  (2  Ch. 
v.  11-13)  ;  coronations  (xxiii.  11,  13);  dedication  of  city -walls  (Xeh. 
xii.  27,  2S)  ;  celebration  of  victory  (Ex.  xv.  15,  20  ;  IS.  xviii.  6,  7) ; 
religious  festivals  (2  Ch.  xxx.  21)  ;  private  entertainments  (Is.  v. 
12;  Am.  vi.  5);  dances  (Mat.  xi.  17;  Lu.  xv.  25)  ;  funerals  (Mat. 
ix.  23) ;  in  idol  worship  (Dan.  iii.  5) ;  military  affairs  (Jos.  vi.  8  ; 
1  Cor.  xiv.  8).  Sometimes  laid  aside  in  times  of  sorro-w  (Ps.  exxxvii. 
2-4  ;  Dan.  vi.  18).  Instruments  : — 1.  Stringed  [Harp]  :  shape  and 
no.  of  strings  unkno-wn  (10,  and  played  -with  plectrum— J.  Ant.,  vii. 
12,  3)  (Ps.  exxxvii.  2;  Ez.  xxvi.  13,  etc.)  [Sackbut]  :  triangular,  4 
or  more  strings  (in  Dan.  iii.  5,  7,  trans,  doubtful)  [Psaltery  or  Viol]  : 
shape  uncertain;  10  strings;  kind  of  lyre,  played  with  both  hands 
(Ps.  xxxiii.  2,  cxliv.  9).  2.  Wind  [Cornet]  :  *prob.  a  curved  horn 
(Ps.  xcviii.  6  ;  Dan.  iii.  5,  7,  10,  15  ;  Hos.  v.  8).  [Dulcimer]  :  not 
like  mod.  D.,  but  prob.  a  double  pipe  -with  sack,  more  like  the  bag- 
pipe (Dan.  iii.  5,  10,  15).  [Flute]:  per.  composed  of  several  pipes 
(Dan.  iii.  5,  7,  10,  15).  [Horn]  :  so  called  because  prob.  made  of 
this  material.     (Rams'   horns,  Jos.  xi.  4,  5,  6,  8,  a  doubtful  trans. : 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACIIER3.  '  123 

Arts]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Music. 

C.  D.  O.  T.,  161).  [Organ]  :  like  the  syrinx,  Pandean  pipe  made  of  fr. 
5  to  25  reeds  (Ge.  iv.  21 ;  Job  xxi.  12,  xxx.  31  ;  Ps.cl.4).  [Pipe]:  ah. 
18  in.  long,  with  several  holes  and  mouthpiece  of  reed  (1  S.  x.  5  ; 
1  K.  i.  40  ;  Is.  v.  12.  xxx.  29  ;  Jer.  xlviii.  3(5).  [Trumpet]  :  perh. 
a  straight  tube  (2  K.  xi.  14 ;  2  Ch.  xxix.  27).  3.  PERCUSSION 
[Bells]:  small  (Ex.  xxviii.  33-35,  xxxix.  25,  26;  Zee.  xiv.  20). 
[Cymbals]  :  like  mod.  c.  (2  S.  vi  5  ;  1  Ch.  xiii.  8,  xv.  16,  19,  28, 
xvi.  5;  Neh.  xii.  27);  two  kinds:  some  were  like  castanets 
(Ps.  cl.  5);  some  large  (1  Cor.  xiii.  1).  [Tabret  or  Timbrel]  :  a  kind 
of  tambourine  (Ge.  xxxi.  27;  Ex.  xv.  20  ;  Jud.  xi.  34;  2  S.  vi.  5 ; 
1  Ch.  xiii.  8  ;  Job.  xxi.  12  ;  Ps.  lxviii.  2.3,  lxxxi.  2,  cxlix.  3,  cl.  4  ; 
Is.  v.  12,  xxiv.  8;  Jer.  xxxi.  4;  Ez.  xxviii.  13).  WERE  made  of 
fir  wood  (2  S.  vi.  5),  almug  wood  (1  K.  x.  12),  brass  (1  Cor.  xiii.  1), 
silver  (Nu.  x.  2). 

II.  Historical. — David  had  24  bands  of  12  ea:  under  leaders,  as 
Asaph,  Heman,  Ethan,  Jeduthun,  and  the  choirs  were  selected  fr.  4,000 
Levites  (1  Ch.  xv.  16-24,  xxiii.  5,  xxv.)  ;  Heb.  music  consisted  more  in 
unison  than  harmony.  Vocal  and  instru.  combined  (Ps.  xlix.  25)  ;  dif. 
choirs  sustained  dif.  parts.  Thus,  Miriam  and  the  women  responded  to  the 
strain  led  by  Moses.  Prob.  more  monotonous  than  m.  is  with  us, — more 
like  chanting. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— M.  ill.,  1.  Joy 
and  gladness  (Zep.  iii.  17  ;  Eph.  v.  19).  2.  Heavenly  felicitv  (Rev.  v.  8, 
9).  3.  Ceasing  of,  ('//.calamities  (Is.  xxiv.  8,  9;  Rev.  xviii.  22).  The 
most  perfect  of  then  known  instru. — the  harp — being  used  to  represent 
the  m.  of  heaven,  may  suggest  that  the  best  of  the  best  should  be  used  in 
worship  of  God  on  earth.  God,  who  has  taught  even  the  birds  to  sing, 
surely  did  not  intend  man  to  be  mute.  He  has  made  nature  sing  in  our 
ear  ;  should  not  man — the  head  of  nature,  sing  His  praises  ?  (Jas.  v.  13  ; 
Ep.  v.  19  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  15.)  "  The  nightingale,  another  of  my  airy  creatures, 
breathes  such  sweet  loud  music  out  of  her  little  instrumental  throat,  that 
it  might  make  mankind  to  think  miracles  had  not  ceased.  He  that  at 
midnight,  when  the  very  labourer  sleeps  securely,  should  hear,  as  I  have 
very  often,  the  clear  airs,  the  sweet  descants,  the  natural  rising  and 
falling,  the  doubling  and  redoubling  of  her  voice,  might  well  be  lifted 
above  earth,  and  say,  '  Lord,  what  musick  hast  Thou  provided  for  the 
saints  in  heaven,  when  Thou  affordest  bad  men  such  musick  on  earth  ! '  " 
{Walton.)  The  music  in  public  worship  may  be  abused  both  by  its 
omission,  or  its  character  and  superabundance ;  in  the  latter  case — 

"  Some  to  church  repair, 
Not  for  the  doctrine,  but  the  music  there."     {Pope.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  The  highest  art  and  most  perfect 
instrument  to  be  dedicated  to  Divine  worship.  2.  Music  should  aid 
congregational  praise,  not  supersede  it.  3.  True  worship  by  music  is 
only  as  the  heart  ma  kes  melody.  4.  Poor  singers,  and  the  dumb — who 
have  never  vocalized  a  note  of  praise — may,  through  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ,  be  amongst  the  sweetest  singers  in  heaven.  Then  shall  fully— as 
now  in  a  partial  sense  — be  fulfilled  the  words,  "  The  tongue  of  the  dumb 
*hall  sing"  (Is.  xxxv.  6). 


124  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Poetry.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Pine 

I.  Descriptive. — [Gk.  Potto,  to  make,  or  create.]  Ace.  to  mere 
derivation,  the  word  poetry  =  a  creation  or  production  of  any  kind ; 
but  by  its  equivalent  poiesis,  the  Gks.  almost  exclusively  designated 
the  artistic  production  of  the  imagination  expressed  in  language. 
P.  therefore  is  not  necessarily  associated  with  verse  or  rhyme.  As 
expression  of  high-raised  thought,  P.  was  naturally  developed  among 
Hebs.  Their  hist,  specially  fitted  to  kindle  poetic  fire.  They  lived 
in  communion  with  God ;  their  career  a  succession  of  miracles ; 
added  to  this,  inspiration  raised  their  P.  above  all  other.  Its  chief 
feature  is  grand  and  elevated  thought.  Hence,  while  other  nations 
have  attended  to  harmony  of  expression,  and  cast  their  verse  into 
measure  and  rhyme,  the  Hebs.  were  not  careful  about  form  ;  yet, 
though  marked  "by  simplicity  and  freedom,  it  is  not  without  the 
characteristics  of  verse.  [Josephus,  Ant.,  ii.  16,  4,  iv.  8,  44,  vii.  12,  3, 
thinks  it  has  metres,  like  P.  of  Gks.  and  Roms.]  Its  chief  mode  of 
expression  has  been  happily  called  "  thought-rhythm.'"  The  words 
are  not  reduced  to  verse,  but  the  thought  arranges  itself  like  the 
lights  and  shades  of  a  picture.  There  is  a  rhythmus  of  propositions 
— thought  answers  to  thought,  and  things  to  things.  This  parallel- 
ism, as  it  is  called,  abounds  in  the  P.  of  the  o.  T.  Several  species  of 
parallelisms: — 1.  Coynate,  i.e.  lines  wh.  correspond  by  expressing 
same  or  nearly  same  sentiment,  in  dif.  but  nearly  equivalent  terms. 
Thus  :— 

"  0  the  happiness  of  that  man 
Who  hath  not  walked  in  the  counsel  of  the  ungodly, 
And  hath  not  stood  in  the  way  of  sinners, 
And  hath  not  sat  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful."     (Ps.  i.  1.) 

2.  Antithetic,  i.e.  those  wh.  correspond  by  opposition  of  terms  and 
sentiments.     Suited  for  proverbial  expressions.     Thus  : — 

"  A  wise  son  rejoiceth  his  father ; 
But  a  foolish  son  is  the  grief  of  his  mother."    (Pr.  x.  1.) 
Or:— 

"  The  memory  of  the  just  is  a  blessing ; 
But  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot."     (Pr.  x.  7.) 

3.  Synthetic,  i.e.  those  in  wh.  there  is  a  similar  form  of  construction. 
Thus  :— 

"  The  law  of  Jehovah  is  perfect ;  restoring  the  soul : 
The  testimony  of  Jehovah  is  sure ;  making  wise  the  simple : 
The  precepts  of  Jehovah  are  ri^ht ;  rejoicing  the  heart : 
The  commandment  of  Jehovah  is  clear ;  enlightening  the  eyes ; "  etc. 

(Ps.  xix.  7-10.) 

4.  Introverted,  i.  e.  those  in  wh.  the  first  and  last,  and  the  second 
and  third  lines,  correspond.     Thus  : — 

"  My  son,  if  thy  heart  be  wise, 

My  heart  also  shall  rejoice  : 
Yea,  my  reins  shall  rejoice 
When  thy  lips  speak  right  things."     (Pr.  xxiii.  15-16.) 


TOPICS   FOB   TEACHERS.  125 


Arts.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Pcetry. 

A  knowledge  of  laws  of  poetic  parallelism  important,  as  they  oft. 
furnish  great  facilities  for  interpretation.  The  ordinary  classes  of  p. 
are  also  found  in  the  Bihle.  Thus  (1)  Lt/ric—as  in  Psalms.  (2)  Epic 
(?  dramatic),  as  in  Job.  (3)  Didactic,  as  in  Proverbs.  (4)  Pastoral, 
or  Idyllic,  as  in  Canticles.  Occasionally  we  have  rhyme,  though 
prob.  not  designed  by  the  poet  (Ge.  iv.  23  ;  Job  vi.  4,  7,  9,  13,  22,  29) ; 
of  course  this  does  not  appear  in  our  trans.  12  of  the  Heb.  poems 
have  an  alphabetical  structure,  but  not  all  perfectly  carried  out 
(Ps.  xxv.,  xxxiv.,  xxxvii.,  cxi.,  cxii.,  cxix.,  cxlv.  ;  Pr.  xxxi.  10-31  ; 
Lam.  i.,  ii.,  iii.,  iv.)  In  Pss.  cxi.,  cxii.,  ea.  line  or  half- verse  begins 
with  the  letters  successively  of  the  Heb.  alphabet.  In  Ps.  cxix., 
Lam.  iii.,  are  series  of  verses  ea.  having  the  same  initial  letter  in 
regular  order.  Of  the  Gk.  poets  quoted  in  Scripture,  we  have  Aratus 
{PJuenomena),  Ac.  xvii.  28  ;  Menander  {Thais),  1  Cor.  xv.  33.;  Epi- 
menides,  Tit.  i.  12. 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— See  2  Pet.  21.    The 

Bible  a  beautiful  and  attractive  as  well  as  useful  book.  The  writer  had 
a  regard  for  human  taste.  The  Bible  has  suggested  the  noblest  themes 
for  human  poetical  productions  {ill.  " Paradise  Lost,"  "Course  of  Time"). 

"  Blessings  be  with  them,  and  eternal  praise, 
Who  gave  us  nobler  loves,  and  nobler  cares, 
The  Poets,  who  on  earth  have  made  us  heirs 
Of  truth  and  pure  delight  by  heavenly  lays."     (TFordsioorth.) 

In  the  Bible  we  have  the  sublimest  themes— doctrine,  precept,  promise — 
in  the  most  attractive  and  easily  remembered  form — poetry.  "  I  knew  a 
very  wise  man  that  believed  that  if  a  man  were  permitted  to  make  all 
the  ballads,  he  need  not  care  who  should  make  the  laws  of  a  nation." — 
{Andrew  Fletcher.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  No  songs  like  the  songs  of  Zion.  2.  A 
good  exercise  for  the  heart  and  memory  of  youth,  to  commit  to  memory 
the  Psalms  of  David. 


[Addenda. — "  For  long  years  must  the  lofty  genius  which  produced  the 
Allegro  and  Penseroso  have  been  revolving  some  still  nobler  monument  to  its 
poetic  fame.  And  when  it  at  length  essayed  to  build  the  grandest  epic 
the  world  has  ever  seen,  the  subject  it  selected  is  emphatically  a  Biblical 
one.  Had  Moses  not  penned  the  Pentateuch,  Milton  could  never  have 
written  the  "  Paradise  Lost ;"  and  on  his,  a  second  time,  essaying  the  epic, 
he  wrote  "  Paradise  Regained,"  thereby  confessing  that  his  themes  could 
be  found  only  in  the  Bible.  There  is  a  grand  unity  of  idea  in  thdse  two 
epics ;  and  it  was  a  fine  tribute  which  the  poet  paid  to  the  Scriptures, 
when  having  found  what  we  might  call  the  first  half  of  his  great  thought 
in  the  Old  Test.,  he  turned  to  the  New  Test.,  as  if  only  there  he  could 
find  the  other  half.  The  Bible  completes  itself — so  reckoned  Milton  ;  and 
therefore  to  the  Bible  he  turned  for  the  completion  of  his  epical  idea." — 
Trail.'] 

Vol.  II.— 9 


126  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Writing.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  tFiue 

I.  Descriptive.— [Etymological  : — "Write:  lit.,  to  scratch,  to 
score ;  A.-S.,  writan :  Ice.,  writa,  to  draw,  trace ;  rista,  to  score ; 
Goth.,  writs,  a  stroke,  fr.  the  sound  of  the  pen.  Scriptures,  writings: 
Lat.,  scribo,  scriberc,  to  write ;  scrip  =  that 
ich.  is  written  ;  scribe  =  a  writer.  "  The 
Scriptures  "  =  the  word  of  God,  the  writings 
par  excellence.  Book  :  A.  -  S.,  boc,  the 
beech  ;  the  Teutons  wrote  on  beechen  boards. 
Bible  :  Gk.,  biblion,  biblos  =  a  book — byblos, 
the  inner  bark  of  papyrus,  q.v.,  of  which 
paper  was  made.  "  The  Bible "  is  pre- 
eminently "the  Book  "of  books.  Volume, 
lit.,  a  roll,  or  scroll :  Lat.,  volumen,  a  roll — 
Ancient  Volume.  volvo,  volutum,  to  roll.  Anc.  books  were 
not  bound,  but  rolled  up  (see  cut).  Parchment  :  Lat.,  pergamena, 
fr.  Pergamus,  q.v.,  where  it  was  invented.  Pen  :  A.-S.,  pinna  ;  Lat., 
penna,  a  feather  of  wh.  pens  were  made.  Print  :  to  press,  or 
impress ;  a  mark  made  by  impression.  Old  D.,  printen  ;  Fr.,  im- 
printer; Lat.,  imprimo — im,  into,  and  premo,  to  press.]  Origin  of  w. 
unknown.  Egyptian  "W.  exists  as  anc.  as  early  Pharaohs.  Not  clear 
when  first  known  to  Hebs.,  yet  very  early  (Ge.  xxxviii.  18,  25  ;  Ex. 
xvii.  14) ;  and  w.  is  not  mentioned  as  a  new  invention  (xxviii.  11, 
21,  29,  36,  xxxi.  18,  xxxii.  15,  16,  etc.) ;  prob.  the  art  was  confined 
to  a  few,  as  the  scribe  was  a  name  of  distinction  (Jud.  v.  14).  The 
Canaanites  evidently  practised  it,  fr.  Kirjath-sepher  (Jos.  x.  38,  xv. 
15;  Jud.  i.  11)  =  book-town.  In  David's  time  "letters"  were 
written  (2  S.  xi.  14,  15) ;  prob.  Uriah,  who  carried  it,  could  not  read. 
Letters  are  often  mentioned  aft.  Heb.  Alphabet  prob.  of  Phoeni- 
cian orig. ;  the  sq.  characters  now  used  not  very  anc.  Perhaps  Ezra 
intro.  them  aft.  the  return.  They  are  com.  called  Chaldee.  Letters 
were  orig.  of  a  pictorial  cast,  their  names  showing  the  objects  they 
were  meant  to  represent.  Thus,  N,  aleph  —  an  ox  ;  3,  beth,  house  j 
J,  gimel,  camel ;  "T,  daleth,  door ;  iT  he,  window ;  "),  vav,  hook ; 
\,  zayin,  weapon;  J"7-  cheth,  fence;  ^,  teth,  snake;  >,  yodh,  hand; 
3,  kaph,  the  hand  bent;  7,  lamedh,  ox  goad;  Q,  mem,  water;  J, 
nun,  fish  ;  D,  samekh,  prop  ;  y,  agin,  eye ;  £),  pe,  mouth  ;  J{,  tsadhe, 
fish-hook  ;  p,  quoph,  back  of  head ;  "1,  resh,  head ;  t£/,  shin,  tooth ; 
J"l,  tar,  cross.  (Gesenius.)  The  forms  being  a  i~ude  likeness  of  tilings 
signified,  vowel  points  were  not  foi-med  into  a  system  till  betw. 
a.d.  600  and  1000  :  they  were  needful  till  Heb.  ceased  to  be  a  living 
tongue.  WRITING  materials:  Stone  tablets  (Ex.  xxx.  18,  xxxii. 
15,  16,  19,  xxxiv.  1,  4,  28,  29).  In  Babylon,  etc.,  writing  on  bricks 
when  damp ;  in  Egypt,  papyrus.  Skins,  and  sometimes  made  into 
parchment  (2  Tim.  iv.  13) ;  rods  (Nu.  xvii.  2,  3);  gates  (Deu.  vi.  9). 
The  Moslems,  to  this  day,  "  never  set  up  a  gate,  cover  a  fountain, 
build  a  bridge,  or  erect  a  house,  without  writing  on  it  choice  sen- 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  127 

Arts.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Writing. 

tences."  (T.  L.  B.,  98.)  Tablets  of  box-wood  (2  Esdras  xiv.  24)  ; 
and  also  brass  (1  Mac.  viii.  22,  xiv.  27).  When  letters  were  cut  in 
stone,  lead  or  copper  was  poured  in  (Job  xix.  24).  If  surface  was 
hard,  a  pointed  style  was  used  (Job  xix.  24;  Ps.  xiv.  1 ;  Is.  viii.  1  ; 
Jer.  viii.  8,  xvii.  1).  For  skins,  etc.,  ink  was  used  with  a  reed  (xxxvi. 
18 ;  2  Cor.  iii.  3 ;  2  Jo.  12  ;  3  Jo.  13).  The  ink,  prob.  of  lamp-black 
dissolved  in  gall-juice,  was  carried  in  ink-horn  at  the  girdle  (Ez. 
ix.  2,  3).  The  writing  was  l*r.  riyht  to  left,  on  rolls  (Rev.  v.  1); 
hence,  the  beginning  of  the  Heb.  Bible  is  at  what  with  us  is  the  end 
of  the  book. 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  A  good  book  is  the 
precious  lite-blood  of  a  master-spirit,  embalmed  and  treasured  up  on 
purpose  to  a  life  beyond  life."  (Milton.)  But  for  writing,  how  much  the 
past  would  be  forgotten,  or  only  exist  in  distorted  oral  traditions.  "  Every 
great  book  is  an  action,  and  every  great  action  is  a  book."  (Luther.) 
"  Without  books,  God  is  silent,  justice  dormant,  natural  science  at  a  stand, 
philosophy  lame,  letters  dumb,  and  all  things  involved  in  Cimmerian 
darkness."  (Bartholin.)  As  abuses  increased,  and  education  became  more 
diffused,  writers,  copyists,  coidd  not  keep  pace  with  the  demand  for  books ; 
nor  could  those  who  needed  them  most  atford  to  purchase  expensive  MSS. ; 
then,  through  God's  all- wise  providence,  printing  was  invented.  Upon 
oral  tradition,  writing  was  a  great  advance ;  it  fixed  the  knowledge  of  the 
past:  upon  writing,  printing  was  a  greater  advance;  it  multiplied  and 
cheapened  the  sources  of  information.  In  Wicklif's  day,  the  price  of  a 
fairly-written  Bible  =  the  cost  of  two  arches  of  London  Bridge  :  a  work- 
man with  his  then  pay  could  not  have  earned  it  in  less  than  1-5  years,  and 
then  must  have  devoted  all  his  money  to  its  purchase.  Value  of  printing 
in  aiding  the  Reformation.  What  could  Luther  have  done  without  the 
printing  press  P  The  Bible  may  now  be  had  for  a  few  pence.  "  Reading 
maketh  a  full  man,  conference  a  ready  man,  and  writing  an  exact  man." 
(Bacon.)  "  The  habit  of  committing  our  thoughts  to  writing  is  a  powerful 
means  of  expanding  the  mind,  and  producing  a  logical  and  systematic 
arrangement  of  our  views  and  opinions.  It  is  this  wh.  gives  the  writer  a 
vast  superiority,  as  to  the  accuracy  and  extent  of  his  conceptions,  over  the 
mere  talker.  No  one  can  ever  hope  to  know  the  principles  of  any  art  or 
science  thoroughly  who  does  not  write  as  well  as  read  upon  the  subject." 
(Blakey.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Be  thankful  for  art  of  w. :  how  much 
happiness  it  opens  up — books,  letters  received  from  or  written  to  friends. 
2.  What  could  be  certainly  known  of  will  of  God  but  for  the  Bible— that 
will  in  writing  ?  3.  As  an  exercise  for  mind  and  heart,  practise  the  art 
of  w.  4.  Let  it  be  said  of  your  letters  to  friends,  etc.,  as  Lord  Lyttelton 
said  of  the  poet  Thomson's  writings — 

"  Not  one  immoral,  one  corrupting  thought, 
One  line  which,  dying,  he  could  wish  to  blot." 

5.  Pray  that  the  blessing  secured  by  Jesus  Christ  (Col.  ii.  14)  may  be 
yours,  and  that  your  names  may  be  written  in  the  "book  of  life." 


128  TOPICS   FOR    TEACHERS. 

Painting,— Sculpture]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  [Fine 

I.  Descriptive.— [Painting.]  Although,  in  consequence  of  legal 
prohibitions,  this  art  was  discouraged  among  the  Hebs.,  it  seems  to 
have  made  some  progress  in  more  recent  times  of  Jewish  history. 
Buildings  were  adorned  with  paintings.  Walls  and  beams  were 
coloured  with  vermilion  ( Jer.  sxii.  14).  Figures,  pi-ob.  of  idols,  were 
painted  on  walls  of  temples  (Ez.  xxiii.  14,  15),  and  idols  seemed  to 
nave  been  coloured  (Wis.  xiii.  14),  as  pictures  and  images  were 
forbidden  by  Mosaic  law  (Lev.  xxvi.  1  ;  Nu.  xxxiii.  52)  ;  these 
pictures  were  prob.  copied  by  the  Jews  fr.  heathen  neighbours  aft. 
they  had  been  corrupted  by  intercourse  with  them.  "  Pleasant 
pictures"  (Is.  ii.  16)  =  "vessels  of  delightful  appearance."  (Henderson, 
Isaiah  xxiii.)  The  customs  referred  to  (Ez.  xxiii.  14)  are  illustrated 
by  Assyrian  discoveries.  Layard  found  the  walls  of  var.  chambers 
in  the  palaces  of  Nimroud  constructed  of  sun-dried  bricks,  covered 
with  plaster  coating,  on  wh.  was  painted  figures  and  ornamental 
devices.  The  colours  were  blue,  red,  white,  yellow,  and  black, 
arranged  with  considerable  taste.  The  laws  of  perspective  and 
proportion  do  not  seem  to  have  been  understood.  (T.  B.  K.)  Among 
the  Egyptians  the  art  of  p.  attained  to  considerable  perfection.  They 
generally  used  vegetable  colours,  wh.  they  fixed  by  a  strong  gluten. 
[Sculpture.]  The  same  laws  wh.  discouraged  painting,  of  course 
applied  to  s. ;  hence  until  the  erection  of  David's  palace  and  Solomon's 
temple,  ornamental  details  in  architecture  were  neglected  ;  indeed 
the  principal  artists  employed  in  these  buildings  app.  to  have  been 
brought  fr.  Phoenicia  and  Egypt.  The  pyramids,  "  the  trophied 
sepulchres  of  the  kings,"  and  the  graven  sarcophagi,  afford  full 
proof  of  the  early  advance  of  all  the  arts  of  design  in  Egypt.  The 
previous  preparation  of  the  stones,  etc.,  of  the  Temple  (1  K.  vi.  7),  to 
wh.  Heber  alludes  in  the  lines — 

"  In  awful  state 
The  Temple  rear'd  its  everlasting  gate ; 
No  workman's  steel,  no  ponderous  axes  rung  : 
Like  some  tall  palm  the  noiseless  fabric  sprung," 
is  strikingly  ill.   by  some   of  the  monumental  portraitures  of  the 
building    art   found   on   the   walls    of  Egyptian   sepulchres.     The 
previous   squaring    and   preparation    of    stones    is  often   depicted. 
Finished  blocks  received  a  mark  to  point  out  the  place  they  should 
occupy  in  the  building.     The  mt.   quarries  nr.  the  Nile  supplied 
blocks  of  such  vast  size  that  columns,  and  even  colossal  statues,  were 
usually  finished  and  polished  in  the  quarries,  fr.  whence  they  were 
drawn  on  an  inclined  road,  levelled  for  the  purpose,  to  the  Nile,  and 
then  conveyed  in  boats  to  their  place  of  destination.     All  these  pro- 
cesses are  ill.  by  the  paintings  referred  to.     We  have  the  process  of 
idol-making  minutely  described  by  Isaiah  (xliv.  13).    (See  T.  B.  C.) 
II.    Moral  and  Religious   Suggestions.— Legal  enactments 
discouraging  painting  and  sculpture  intended  to  be  preventive  of  idolatry, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  129 

Arts.]  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.    [Painting— Sculpture. 

and  not  of  cultivation  of  taste,  etc.  Nature  a  beautiful  temple,  richly 
overlaid  with  colour,  and  filled  with  graceful  forms  of  many  a  "sculptured 
flower."   {Bryant.) 

"  Who  can  paint 
Like  Nature  ?  Can  imagination  boast, 
Amid  its  gay  creation,  hues  like  hers  ?  "     {Thomson.) 

Much  of  the  most  magnificent  painting  in  the  world  suggested  by  Biblo 
subjects  and  truths.  Devout  men  the  best  painters  of  Scripture  incidents, 
etc.  "  Hi;  best  can  paint  them  who  shall  feel  them  most."  {rope.)  Other- 
wise, artists  are  likely  to  be  but  poor  illustrators  of  the  Word  of  God, 
even  though,  like  Gustave  Dore,  they  labour 

"  With  hue  like  that  when  some  great  painter  dips 
His  pencil  in  the  gloom  of  earthquake  and  eclipse."    {Shelley.) 
Paintings  in  a  place  of  worship  tend  rather  to  divert  attention  than  in- 
struct the  mind  or   aid   devotion.      Sculptures   hardly  seemly  where  a 
graceful  simplicity  should  reign,  even  though  they  be 
"  Carved  with  figures  strange  and  sweet, 
All  made  out  of  the  carver's  brain."    {Coleridge.) 
"  Sermons  in  stones  "  not  heard  by  dull  ears ;  other  sermons  needed  by 
all.     "The   chef  d'eeuvrcs  of  Raphael,    of  Angelo,   of  Titian,  Corregio, 
Murillo,  Leonardi,  Rubens,  Rembrandt,  Poussin — indeed,  of  all  the  great 
masters — are  Biblical  subjects.     Though  of  diverse  schools  and  in  dif. 
countries,  with  singular  unanimity,  as  if  drawn  by  one  com.  impulse,  our 
great  painters  have  turned  to  the  Scriptures  for  those  subjects  which  were 
most  to  immortalise  their  own  fames,  and  ennoble  their  art."  {Trail's  Lit. 
Charac.  of  Bible,  251.) 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  What  wonderful  word-painting  we  have 
in  the  Bible !  {ill.  Nathan's  Parable,  the  Shunamite's  Son,  Good  Samaritan, 
Prodigal  Son,  etc.)  2.  He  whose  memory  is  full  of  Bible  history  has  a 
picture  gallery  of  his  own. 


[Addenda. — Parrhasius  of  Ephesus,  and  Zeuxis,  were  contemporary 
painters.  These  artists  once  contended  for  pre-eminence  in  their  profession, 
and  when  they  exhibited  their  respective  pieces  the  birds  came  to  peck 
the  grapes  which  Zeuxis  had  painted.  Parrhasius  then  produced  his  piece, 
and  Zeuxis  said,  "  Remove  the  curtain,  that  we  may  see  the  painting." 
The  curtain  itself  was  the  painting,  and  Zeuxis  acknowledged  himself  to 
be  conquered,  exclaiming,  "  Zeuxis  has  deceived  the  birds,  but  Parrhasius 
has  deceived  Zeuxis !  "  Parrhasius  dressed  in  a  purple  robe',  and  wore  a 
crown  of  gold,  calling  himself  the  king  of  painters,  415  is.e.  {Plutarch.) 
Encaustic  invented  by  Pausias,  of  Sicyon,  ab.  360  to  330  b.c.  Quintus 
Fabius,  called  on  that  ace.  Pictor,  intro.  painting  into  Rome  291  b.c. 
{Linj.)  Something  of  the  art  was  known  by  Bede,  who  died  735  a.d. 
Cimabue,  of  Florence,  restored  the  art  at  close  of  13th  century.  The  Eyck 
family  founded  the  Flemish  school  of  oil-painting,  1415.  Perspective 
first  studied  by  Paulo  Uccello.  About  1523,  Henry  VIII.  patronised 
Holbein,  and  invited  Titian  to  bis  Court;  this  the  earliest  mention  of  the 
art  in  England.] 


130 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Creature  Worship.]  FALSE  RELIGION. 


[Idolatry. 


Sacred  Ibis. 


I.  Historical. — Idolatry — €i8a>\o\arp€ia  =  worship  of  idols,  i.  e. 
the  act  of  ascribing  to  things  and  persons  properties  belonging  to 
God.  It  is  "  the  gross  and  extreme  effect  of  an  extravagant,  un- 
reasoning veneration  for  those  creatures 
and  works  of  the  Creator  through  whose 
instrumentality  benefits  accrue  to  man." 
( T.  B.  C.)  The  earliest  objects  of  idolatrous 
homage  were  prob.  the  sun,  moon,  stars 
(2  K.  xxiii.  5  ;  Ac.  vii.  42),  and  aftwds. 
earthly  creatures  (Ko.  i.  23,  25).  The 
following  are  among  the  chief,  as  ref.  to 
in  the  Bible,  of  the  CREATURES  wor- 
shipped. [Sun]  as  Osiris  by  Egyptians, 
jji  fr.  them  prob.  learned  by  Israelites.  ( hi 
J*  (Bethshemesh  or  Heliopolis  =  city  of  the 
s.),  so  called  fr.  his  temple  (Jer.  xliii.  13). 
Wife  of  Joseph,  was  dau.  of  his  priest 
(Ge.  xli.  45).  s.  worshipped  by  Phoenicians 
under  name  of  Baal-shdmayim  (Lord  of 
heaven),  and  Adon  (Gk.  Adonis),  and  Thammuz  (Ez.  viii.  14)  ;  by 
Ammonites  as  Molech  or  Milcom ;  by  Moabites  as  Chemosh ;  by 
Syrians  as  Had  ad  (hence  names  Benhadnd,  Hadadezer,  etc.)  The 
Bel  or  Belus  of  Assyrians  =  Banl  (cut,  p.  132).  As  by  Persians 
(Bochart),  late  kings  of  Judah  dedicated  horses  to  s.  (2  K.  xxiii.  1 1). 
[Moon]  under  name  of  Astarte  (cut,  p.  134)  worshipped  by  Phoeni- 
cians, known  as  Ashtceroth  or  Asthtoreth  to  Hebs.  (Jud.  ii.  13,  x.  6  ; 
1  S.  vii.  3,  xii.  10) ;  goddess  of  Zidonians  (1  K.  xi.  33).  [stars.]  Early 
adored  by  Israelites  (Am.  v.  26  ;  A.c.  vii.  42,  43)  ;  hence  a  strict  law 
(Deu.  xvii.  3),  and  constant  calling  of  God  as  the  true  Jehovah 
Zebaoth  (Lord  of  Hosts)  (Dan.  iv.  35,  37  ;  Deu.  x.  14).  s.  worship 
was  encouraged  by  Manasseh  (2  Ch.  xxxiii.  3).  The  worship  of 
[living  things]  as  symbols  of  the  Deity  was  common  amongst  the 
ancient  heathen,  especially  the  Egyptians,  who  "worshipped  animals, 
and  even  inanimate  things,  believing  that  the  gods  dwelt  in  them  "  (cf. 
Ex.  viii.  26) :  "  For,  ace.  to  their  pantheistic  philosophy,  they  conceived 
not  of  God  as  a  person,  but  as  an  essence,  diffused  throughout  nature, 
and  manifested  in  infinite  variety  of  form.  Animate  and  inanimate 
things  were  parts  of  one  nature,  of  wh.  the  entirety  was  believed  to 
be  God.  So  that  any  one  might  be  a  manifestation  of  the  Divine 
presence."  (T.  B.  K.)  Some  creatures,  as  the  Ibis,  q.  v.,  were  held 
especially  sacred.  "  It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  an  arrangement 
like  this  should  be  understood  by  an  uninstructed  people  ;  they  saw 
everything  in  a  literal  point  of  view,  and  in  this  particular  it  was 
the  exact  reverse  of  the  truth.  Instead  of  referring  these  animals  to 
the  deities  in  whose  honour  they  were  consecrated,  those  deities 
[as  Osiris  and  Isis~\  to  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  those,  again,  to  the 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  131 

Idolatry.]  FALSE  RELIGION.  [Creature  "Worship. 

gi-cat  First  Cause  of  all,  they  left  the  Supreme  Being  out  of  the 
question  entirely,  and  worshipped  the  heavenly  bodies,  the  deities, 
their  personifications,  the  sacred  animals,  the  embodied  attributes  of 
God,  all  at  once,  and  with  the  same  reverence."     [T.  B.  C.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Man  an  essentially 

religious  being— has  a  religious  nature — must  worship.  2.  Incompetence  of 
unaided  reason  to  discover  or  devise  a  religion  that  the  common  sense  of 
universal  man  would  approve.  "  If  we  needed  a  commentary  on  the 
common  sin  of  paganism,  when  men,  "professing  themselves  wise,  became 
fools,  and  changed  the  glory  of  God  into  an  image  made  like  unto 
corruptible  man,  and  to  four-footed  beasts  and  creeping  things,"  where 
could  we  find  it  better  than  in  the  pantheism  of  Egypt,  where  every 
creature  in  which  was  the  breath  of  life  became  an  idol,  and  the  vital 
principle  was  adored  under  the  varied  forms  which  it  animated,  from 
the  beetle  of  the  dust  to  the  lordly  ox  that  fattened  in  the  luxuriant 
herbage  of  the  Delta  ?  "  3.  Dreadful  to  have  been  born  at  such  a  time, 
"a  pagan  suckled  in  a  creed  outworn."  4.  Our  responsibility  greater, 
born  in  the  midst  of  Christian  light  and  privilege.  5.  "  It  is  the  in- 
variable property  of  error  in  morals  and  religion  that  men  take  credit 
to  themselves  for  it,  and  extol  it  as  wisdom  ;  so  the  heathen,  1  Cor.  i.  21 " 
(Tholuck).  6.  "  In  the  face  of  these  plain  declarations  (Ro.  i.  22,  23) 
of  the  descent  of  man's  religious  belief  fr.  loftier  to  ever  lower  and  more 
debasing  conceptions  of  the  Supreme  Being,  there  are  expositors  of  this 
very  epistle  (as  Seiche  and  Jowett)  who,  believing  neither  in  any  fall  from 
primeval  innocence,  nor  in  the  noble  traces  of  that  innocence  wh.  lingered 
even  after  the  fall,  and  were  only  by  degrees  obliterated  by  wilful 
violence  to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  maintain  that  man's  religious 
history  has  been  all  along  a  struggle  to  rise,  fr.  the  lowest  forms  of  nature- 
worship,  suited  to  the  childhood  of  our  race,  into  that  which  is  more 
rational  and  spiritual."  (Brown.)  7.  "  The  land  of  Palestine  is  ever 
represented  as  held  by  direct  tenure  fr.  Jehovah  (Lev.  xxv.  23).  To  Him 
peace  and  war — questions  determined  under  all  governments  by  the 
supreme  authority — were  referred  (Deu.  i.  41,  42 ;  Jos.  x.  40 ;  Jud.  i.  1,  2; 
1  K.  xii.  24) ;  idolatry  was  treason.  In  relation,  therefore,  to  the  Jews, 
Jehovah  was  both  God  and  King."     {Angus.) 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Rejoice  in  the  light.  2.  Walk  in  the 
light.  3.  Diffuse  the  light.  4.  Millions  of  heathen  this  day  as  dark  as 
Egyptians  of  4,000  years  ago.  Must  remain  in  darkness  except  we  send 
the  knowledge  of  the  True  Light. 


Can  we,  whose  souls  are  lighted 

With  wisdom  from  on  high,— 
Can  we  to  men  benighted 

The  Lamp  of  Life  deny  ? 
""alvation  !  0  salvation ! 

The  joyful  sound  proclaim, 
Till  each  remotest  nation 

Has  learned  Messiah's  name. 


Waft,  waft,  ye  winds,  His  story ; 

And  you,  ye  waters,  roll, 
Till,  like  a  sea  of  glory, 

It  spread  from  pole  to  pole ; 
Till,  o'er  our  ransomed  nature, 

The  Lamb  for  sinners  slain, 
Redeemer,  King,  Creator, 

In  bliss  return  to  reign." 

(Heier.) 


132 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Image  "Worship] 


FALSE  RELIGION. 


[Idolatry. 


Baal. 
32,  xviii.  20;  2  K. 


I.  Gods  mentioned  in  the  Bible.— -[Adrammeieeh]  (king  of 
fire,  i.e.  sun-god);  AnammELECH  (?  shepherd  and  flock,  i.e.  constellation 
Cepheus)  ;  worship  intro.  into  Samaria  (2  K.  xvii.  31)  by  Sepharvites 
(of  Sepharvahn,  city  of  Assyria,  prob.  now 
Sipphara) ;  some  think  Ad.  =  sun,  and  An. 
=  the  moon.  Rawlinson  regards  one  as  the 
male,  the  other  the  female  power  of  sun. 
[Ashima]  (2  K.  xvii.  30) ;  supposed  to  be 
the  Phoenician  Esnmn,  Gk.  vEsculapius. 
[Astoretli]  (1  K.  xi.  5,  33;  2  K.  xxiii.  13), 
the  chief  female  deity  of  the  Phoenicians, 
prob.  the  "  moon-goddess,"  embodying  the 
idea  of  productive-power  worship,  prob. 
identical  with  that  of  Venus.  [Baal]  (lord, 
possessor),  the  chief  male  deity  of  Phoeni- 
cians (Nu.  xxii.  41,  xxv.  3;  Jud.  ii.  11-13, 
vi.  25-32,  viii.  33,  ix.  4,  x.  6,  10 ;  1  S.  vii. 
4;  1  K.  xvi.  31,  32,  xviii.;  2  K.  x.  18-28, 
xvii.  16;  2Ch.  xxviii.  2) ;  worship  (1  K.  xvi. 
x.  26,  xi.  18;  Jer.  xi.  13,  xxxii.  29);  priests  (1  K. 
xviii.  19,  26-28) ;  human  sacrifices  (Jer.  vii.  9,  xix.  5.  [B.-berith] 
covenant  lord);  name  of  B.  as  worshipped  bj-  Shechemites  (Jud.  viii. 
33,  ix.  4,  cf.  46).  [B.-peor]  (lord  of  the  opening).  The  B.  of  Moab 
called  sometimes  (Nu.  xxv.  3,  5,  18;  Deu.  iv.  3;  Jos.  xxii.  17;  Ps. 
cvi.  28;  Hos.  ix.  10)  obscene  rites.  [B-zebub]  (lord  of  the  Jly), 
worshipped  at  Ekron  (2  K.  i.  2,  3,  6,  16).  [B.-zephon]  (lord  of 
North).  [Bel]  (contr.  fr.  Baal),  Assyrian  B.  (Is.  xlvi.  1;  Jer.  1.  2,  li. 
44).  [Chemosh]  (subduer),  national  god  of  Moab  (Nu.  xxi.  29 ;  Jer. 
xlviii.  7,  13,  46),  worshipped  by  Ammon  (Jud.  xi.  24  ;  see  also  1  K. 
xi.  7,  33  ;  2  K.  xxiii.  13).  [Chitm]  (Am.  v.  26),  and  [Bemphan]  (Ac. 
vii.  43).  On  a  tablet  in  Brit.  Museum  is  a  group  of  gods,  of  whom 
two  bear  the  name  of  Henpu  (pr.  Rempu),  and  Ken,  prob.  deities  of 
some  E.  tribe.  [Dagon]  (dear,  i.e.  honoured,  fish),  national  god  of 
Philistines  (Jud.  xvi.  23  ;  IS.  v.  1-7):  the  female  deity  was  Atargatis 
or  Derceto  (xxxi.  10;  1  Ch.  x.  10;  see  also  Jos.  xv.  41,  xix.  27). 
The  Assyrians  also  had  a  fish-god.  [Diana]  (the  Gk.  Artemis), 
worshipped  specially  at  Ephcsus  (q.  v.  Ac.  xix.  23-41);  "  represented 
with  numerous  breasts,  she  must  be  considered  as  symbolizing  the 
generative  and  sustaining  powers  of  nature."  [Jupiter]  (the  Gk. 
Zeus),  supposed  to  have  supreme  power  (Ac.  xiv.  12,  13,  xix.  35). 
[Mercury]  (Gk.  Hermes  =  the  speaker),  presided  over  eloquence  (Ac. 
xiv.  11-13).  Ovid  relates  a  story  of  these  deities  wandering  in 
neighbouring  country  of  Phrygia  (Metam.,  viii.  626,  627).  [Moloch. 
(ruler),  or  Molech,  or  Milcom],  human  sacrifices  (Lev.  xviii.  21,  xx. 
2-5  ;  1  K.  xi.  5,  7,  33 ;  2  K.  xxiii.  10,  13  ;  Jer.  Xxxii.  35,  xlix.  1,  3, 
marg. ;   Am.  v.    26 ;    Zcp.  i.  5 ;    Ac.  vii.  43).     [Merodach]   (death, 


Tones   FOU   TEACIIERS.  133 

Idolatry.]  FALSE  RELIGION.  [Image  Worship. 

daughter),  ace.  to  some  =  [Mars]  (god  of  war),  deity  of  Babylon 
(Jer.  1.  2).  [Nergal]  (?nan  devonrer),  idol  of  Cuthites  (2  K.  xvii.  30), 
identified  with  Mars.  [Nebo],  Babylonian.  Presided  over  literature 
(like  (ik.  Hermes,  and  Rom.  Mercury)  (Is.  xlvi.  1)  [NibhazJ 
f?  barker),  idol  of  Avites  (2  K.  xvii.  31),  prob.  =  Egyptian  Anubis. 
[Nisroch]  (?  great  eagle),  Assyrian.  Eagle-headed  figures  among 
Assyrian  sculptures  (2  K.  xix.  37;  Is.  xxxvii.  38).  [Rimmon] 
(?  exalted,  or  pomegranate,  q.  v.,  symbol  of  generative  power),  Syrian 
(2  K.  v.  18).     [Tammuz]  (Ez.  viii.  14),  prob.  Gk.  Adonis. 

II.  Descriptive.— Idol,  Gk.  «8<»Aoj/,  an  image,  spectre,  or  shade. 
It  was  a  representation  of  some  principle  or  being  to  whom  worship  was 
paid  ;  and  intended  to  convey  through  the  external  senses  a  more  vivid 
idea  to  the  mind  of  the  being  worshipped,  and  thus  to  be  simply  a  means 
of  honouring  Jehovah,  as  the  Israelites  by  means  of  their  calf  worship  (Ex. 
xxxii.  5).  "  Grosser  ideas  naturally  prevailed ;  and  men,  having  regarded 
the  representation  as  sacred  to  the  Deity,  came  very  often  to  consider  it 
the  Deity  itself,  at  least  to  offer  it  worship,  as  if  the  senseless  stone  or  piece 
of  metal  could  hear  and  help  them. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  "  Gods  many," 
true  God— one.  2.  Idolatry  not  confined  to  heathens,  or  worship  of  wood 
or  stone  idols  (1  Cor.  x.  14 ;  Col.  hi.  5 ;  Phil.  iii.  9).  3.  Whatever,  other 
than  God,  is  enshrined  in  the  heart  as  the  chief  object  of  affection  is  an 
idol. 

"  We  do  not  bend  the  adoring  knee 
To  demon  gods  'neath  forest  tree ; 
And  when  the  fair  round  moon  returns, 
No  heart  in  votive  rapture  burns ; 
But  wrong  desire,  and  cherish' d  sin, 
And  selfish  care  enshrin'd  within, 
And  angry  passions,  prompt  to  wake, — 
These  are  the  idols  Christians  make. 
The  great  Lord  God  enthron'd  on  high ; 
He  sees  tho  soul's  idolatry; 
He  claims  the  first  love  of  our  heart, 
Nor  takes  what  is  but  His  in  part." 

(Verses  for  Holy  Seasons.) 

IV  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Idolatrous  worship,  and  principles, 
subtle'  2.  Dangers  of  idolatry  (2  Cor.  vi.  9 ;  Eph.  v.  5 ;  Rev.  xxi.  8,  xxii. 
15;  Uo.  v.  21). 

"  If,  when  the  Lord  of  Glory  was  in  sight, 

Thou  turn  thy  back  upon  that  fountain  clear, 
To  bow  before  the  '  little  drop  of  light ' 

Which  dim-eyed  men  call  praise  and  glory  here : 
What  dost  thou  but  adore  the  sun,  and  scorn 
Him  at  whose  only  word  both  sun  and  stars  were  born  ?  " 

(Keole.) 


134 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Teachers  of  the  False.]       FALSE  RELIGION. 


[Idolatry. 


I.  Terms  employed. — [Wise  Men.]  Heb.  hakamim  (Ge.  xli.  8  ; 
Ex.  vii.  11)  =  those  learned  in  occult  science.  Same  word  applied  to 
Babylonian  sages  (Dan.  ii.  24,  iv.  6,  v.  15).  [Magicians.]  Heb.  hkar- 
tummim  (Ge.  xli.  8;  Ex.  vii.  11,  22, 
viii.  7,  18,  19,  ix.  11)  =  those  who  un- 
derstood hieroglyphics,  in  wh.  secret 
things  were  written  ;  called  also  Chal- 
deans (Dan.  i.  20,  ii.  2).  [Sorcerers.] 
Heb  mekhashshephlm  (Ex.  vii.  1 1  ; 
Dan.  ii.  2  ;  Mai.  iii.  5)  =  those  who 
muttered  or  used  incantations.  In 
fem.  form  it  is  trans,  witch  (Den.  xviii. 
in);  (in  2  Ch.  xxxiii.  6,  "  used  witch- 
craft.") [Observers  of  times  ]  Heb. 
me'onenim  (Lev.  xix.  26  ;  Den.  xviii. 
10,  14;  2  K.  xxi.  6;  2  Ch.  xxxiii.  6) 
Ashteboth.  :=acc.  to  Gesenius,  a  species  of  divining 

connec.  with  idolatry.  It  is  trans.  "  soothsayers"  (Is.  ii.  6;  Mie.  v.  12) ; 
form  of  same  word  trans.  "  sorceress  "  (Is.  lvii.  3)  and  "  enchanters  " 
(Jer.  xxvii.  9)  =  ace.  to  some,  observing  of  clouds,  or  meteoric  ap- 
pearances, noting  of  dreams,  etc.  ["Wizard-]  Heb.  yidde'onim  (Lev. 
xix.  31,  xx.  6,  27;  Deu.  xviii.  11  ;  1  S.  xxviii.  3,  9;  Is.  xix.  3) 
=  knowing.  [Familiar  Spirit-]  Heb.  oh  (Job  xxxii.  19)  =  a  bottle. 
The  F.  s.  was  supposed  to  be  in  the  body  of  the  wizard,  as  if  in  a 
bottle  (Lev.  xix.  31,  xx.  6,  27).  Case  of  Saul  (1  S.  xxviii.  7,  8,  9). 
[Necromancer]  one  who  was  said  to  consult  the  dead  (Deu.  xviii. 
11).  The  answers  given,  sup.  to  be  spirits  of  the  dead,  were  prob. 
produced  by  ventriloquism  (hence  the  LXX.  have  so  rendered  the 
Heb.)  Sometimes  the  voice  is  desc.  as  "  out  of  the  ground  "  (Is. 
xxix,  4).  [Charmers.]  Heb.  ittim  (Is.  xix.  3)  =  prob.  the  necro- 
mancer who  emitted  the  voice  of  a  spirit.  Another  word  trans. 
"charmers"  (Deu.  xviii.  11)  =  one  who  could  find  with  spells. 
Applied  to  C.  of  serpents  (Ps.  lviii.  5)..  [One  that  useth  divination.] 
Heb.  Kosem  (Deu.  xviii.  10)  =  dividing  out  (trans,  soothsayer, 
Jos.  xiii.  22;  see  also  1  S.  vi.  2;  Ez.  xxi.  21).  "  It  is  a  question 
how  far  divination  was  an  imposition.  That  much  imposition  was 
mixed  with  it  no  one  will  deny.  But  it  may  not  unreasonably  be 
believed  that  some  dark  influence  was  at  work.  We  may  not  attempt 
to  define  it.  But  if,  as  we  know,  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air 
had  sway  over  the  children  of  disobedience  (Eph.  ii.  2),  and  evi- 
denced his  dominion  in  many  remarkable  cases,  it  may  be  that  some- 
times the  soothsayers,  the  magicians,  the  sorcerers  were  helped  in 
their  evil  courses  by  him  whose  slaves  they  were.  Be  this,  however, 
as  it  may,  whether  the  whole  was  imposture,  or  whether  there  was 
some  reality  in  it,  the  law  of  God  was  holy,  just,  and  good,  which 
condemned  and  punished  it."    (T.  B.  K.) 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  135 

Idolatry.]  FALSE  RELIGION.        [Teachers  of  the  False. 

II.  Descriptive. — The  kinds  of  divination  mentioned  in  Scrip- 
ture are, — 1.  Cupettomancy  or  Bcrylomancy,  div.  bv  cup  or  jewel  (see 
T'rim,  C.  I).  ().  T.,  201  ;  Gc.  xliv.  1-5).  Cup  st'ill  used  by  Arabs. 
When  Mr.  Norden  was  at  Dcrri.  in  Upper  Egypt,  an  Arab  said  that 
"  he  knew  very  well  who  the  strangers  were,  for  he  had  consulted 
his  cup."  2.  Rhabdomancy,  or  div.  by  the  wand  or  arrow  (Ez.  xxi. 
21)  ;  divining  rod  (Hos.  iv.  12).  3.  Necromancy  (see  above). 
4.  Splanchnomancy,  div.  by  inspection  of  entrails  of  victims  blair.  for 
purpose  (Ez.  xxi.  21).  5.  Oneiromancy,  div.  by  dreams  (Ge.  xli.  8; 
Dan.  iv.  7).  G.  Cleromancy,  div.  by  lot : — this  among  Jews  a  Divine 
oracle,  and  recognized  mode  of  discovering  the  Divine  will.  7.  Ido- 
lomancy,  div.  by  an  image.  By  some  it  is  believed  that  Rachel  stole 
her  father's  images  on  this  ace.  The  Targum  (of  Iona,  Ben  Uzsdel) 
Bi  ys,  "  And  Jacob  stole  the  science  of  Laban  the  Syrian,  that  it  might 
not  discover  his  departure."     8.  Phonomancy,  div.  by  voice. 

III.  Historical. — 1.  At  entrance  of  Christianity  the  world  was 
overrun  with  magicians  and  conjurors  of  various  grades  (Gal.  v.  20). 
"  Impostors  fr.  the  E.,  pretending  to  magical  powers,  had  great  influence 
over  the  Rom.  mind.  All  the  Gk.  and  Lat.  literature  of  the  period,  fr. 
Horace  to  Lucian,  abounds  in  proof  of  the  prevalent  credulity  of  this 
sceptical  period.  Unbelief,  when  it  has  become  conscious  of  its  weakness, 
is  often  glad  to  give  its  hand  to  superstition.  The  faith  of  educated  Roms. 
was  entirely  gone  ....  they  greedily  welcomed  the  most  absurd  and 
degrading  superstitions.  .  .  .  Syrian  fortune-tellers  flocked  into  the  haunts 
of  public  amusement.  .  .  .  The  more  remote  districts  of  A.  Minor  sent  them 
itinerant  soothsayers.  .  .  .  Marius  had  in  his  camp  a  Syrian  prophetess,  by 
whose  divinations  he  regulated  the  progress  of  his  campaigns."  (Conybeare 
and  llowsoii's  Paul,  i.  177-182).  Brutus,  Pompey,  Crassus,  Csesar,  resorted 
to  oracles  at  Delphi,  etc.  Juvenal  (x.  93)  dt-sc.  the  Emperor  Tiberius 
with  his  Chaldeans  around  him.  2.  Christianity  attacked  and  defeated 
the  popular  superstition  at  all  points  of  contact  (Ac.  xiii.  8,  xvi.  16,  xix.  3; 
see  esp.  xix.  17-20).  "This  scene  must  have  been  long  remembered  at 
Ephesus.  It  was  a  strong  proof  of  honest  conviction  on  the  part  of  the 
sorceress,  and  a  striking'  attestation  of  the  triumph  of  Jesus  Christ  over 
the  powers  of  darkness."     (Ibid.,  ii.  20.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Credulity  of  un- 
belief. 2.  Scepticism  and  superstition  nearly  allied.  3.  Folly  of  believing 
in  signs,  omens,  charms,  and  the  Hke.  4.  Wickedness  of  consulting  con- 
jurors, wizards,  "  the  wise  woman  ;  "  and  forsaking  "  the  lively  oracles." 
5.  Even  yet  (1869),  ignorant  people  of  remote  villages  in  Christian  Eng- 
land believe  in  charms,  and  consult  impostors. 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Do  not  countenance  superstitious  follies. 
2.  Have  faith  in  God's  word,  and  trust  in  His  providence.  3.  Men  who 
harden  themselves  against  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  and  close  their 
hearts  against  the  Gospel,  are  often  given  over  to  a  judicial  blindness  (Isa. 
lxiii.  10,  cf.  2  Thes.  ii.  10,  11 ;  Jonah  ii.  8).  Hence  spiritualism,  and  tho 
like. 


136 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Heathen  Temples.] 


FALSE  RELIGION. 


[Idolatry. 


I.  Historical  Notes. — Heathen  temples  orig.  in  sepulchres 
built  for  dead  (JEusebius) ;  were  first  erected  to  gods  by  Egyptians 
'Herodotus).     Deucalion   built   the   first   Gk.   temple    (Apollonius). 

T.   of  Apollo,    at   Delphi,  was   first  a 
cottage  of  boughs;  built  of  stone  ab. 
1200    B.C.,   by    Trophonius;    burnt  by 
Pisistratidae,  548  ;  rebuilt  by  the  Alc- 
■"\    mseonidae,   ab.  513.      T.    of  Diana,  at 
^  s  Ephesus,   built   7   times ;    planned   by 
Ctesiphon,    544   B.C.;    fired   by  Hero- 
stratus,   356,    to  perpetuate  his  name; 
took  220  yrs.  to  rebuild  it;  destr.  by 
Goths,  A.D.  260.     T.  of  Piety,  built  by 
Acilius,  on  spot  where  once  a  woman 
Mohammedan  Mosque.  had  fed  with  her  milk  her  aged  fatner> 

whom  the  Senate  had  imprisoned  and  sentenced  to  starvation  (Vol. 
Max.")  The  most  perfect  anc.  T.  at  this  day  is  the  T.  of  Theseus, 
built  B  C.  480.  Pagan  Ts.  destroyed  throughout  the  Roman  empire 
by  order  of  Constantine,  A.D.  331.  Paganism  finallj-  overthrown  in 
the  reign  of  Theodosius  the  younger,  ab.  391,  and  abjured  by  Eom. 
Senate  in  388. 

II.  Descriptive. — Temples  at  first  small  and  mean ;  most  anc. 
were  hollow  trees,  in  wh.  were  placed  images  of  the  gods.  A  T.  at 
first  was  the  habitation  of  the  deity,  not  a  place  for  worshippers. 
Then  came  the  wooden  house,  and  then  the  T.  of  stone.  The  larger 
Ts.  consisted  of  3  parts,  the  pronaos  (npovocos)  =  vestibule  ;  the  naos, 
or  cella  (vaos  or  <tt]kos)  =  the  place  for  the  deity  ;  and  the  opisthodo- 
mus  (cnricrd68ofjLos)  —  where  the  treasures  were  kept.  In  form  they 
were  oblong  or  round,  their  beauty  owing  to  combinations  of  columns 
within  and  without.  [T.  of  Diana]  Ionic,  white  marble,  425  ft. 
long,  220  ft.  bd.  Its  127  columns  were  60  ft.  high.  Built  at  cost  of 
all  states  of  A.  Minor.  [T.  of  Juno]  at  Samos,  346  ft.  long,  189  ft. 
bd.  Doric,  aftwds.  Ionic.  [T.  of  Delphi]  cost  ab.  £115,000,  collected 
in  cities  of  Gi'eece.  Doric,  Parian  marble.  [T.  of  Olympian  Jove] 
Athens.  Doric,  359  ft.  long,  173  ft.  bd.,  finished  by  Hadrian  650  yrs. 
aft.  foundation. 

III.  Bible  References  to  Idolatry.— Forbidden  (Ex.  xx.  4,  5) ; 

heathens  devoted  to  (Ps.  xcvi.  5 ;  Ro.  i.  23,  25  ;  1  Cor.  xii.  2) ;  thought  the 
gods  vis.  earth  in  bodily  shapes  (Ae.  xiv.  11) ;  considered  their  gods  had 
local  influence  (1  K.  xx.  23 ;  2  K.  xvii.  26)  ;  temples  built  for  (Hos.  viii. 
14);  Altars  (1  K.  xviii.  26  ;  Hos.  viii.  11)  ;  feasts  (2  K.  x.  20 ;  1  Cor.  x. 
27,  28).  Mode  of  worship :  sacrifices  (Nu.  xxii.  40  ;  2  K.  x.  24) ;  libations 
(Is.  lvii.  6;  Jer.  xix.  13);  incense  (Jer.  xlviii.  35);  prayer  (1  K.  xviii. 
26;  Is.  xliv.  17);  singing  and  dancing  (Ex.  xxxii.  18,  19;  IK  xviii.  26, 
marg  ;  1  Cor.  x.  7) ;  bowing  (1  K.  xix.  18  ;  2K,  v.  18) ;  kissing,  etc.  (1  K. 
xix.  18;  Job  xxxi.  26,  27;  Hos.  xiii.  2);  mutilation  (1  K.  xviii.  28); 
human  sacrifices  (Deu.  xii.  31 ;  2  Ch.  xxxiii.  6 ;  Jer.  xix.  4,  5 ;  Ez.  xvi. 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  137 

Idolatry.]  FALSE  RELIGION.  [Heathen  Temples. 

21) ;  in  temples  (2  K.  v.  18) ;  on  high  places  (Nu.  xxii.  41 ;  Jer.  ii.  20);  in 
groves  (Ex.  xxxiv.  13);  under  trees  (Is.  lvii.  5;  Jer.  ii.  20);  in  privato 
houses  (Jud.  xvii.  4,  5) ;  on  roofs  (2  K.  xxiii.  12  ;  Zep.  i.  5) ;  in  secret 
places  (Is.  lvii.  8) ;  obscene  and  impure  rites  (Ex.  xxxii.  25  ;  Nu.  xxv.  1-3  ; 
2  K.  xvii.  9  ;  Is.  vi.  8,  9  ;  1  Pet.  iv.  3)  ;  connect,  with  divination  (2  Ch. 
xxxiii.  6) ;  victims  adorned  with  garlands  (Ac.  xiv.  13) ;  objects  of  carried 
in  procession  (Is.  xlvi.  7  ;  Am.  v.  21 ;  Ac.  vii.  43).  Early  notice  of  among 
God's  people  (Ge.  xxxi.  19,  30,  xxxv.  1-4  ;  Jos.  xxiv.  2).  Jews  practised  it 
in  Egvpt  (Jos.  xxiv.  14 ;  Ez.  xxiii.  3,  19)  ;  brought  fr.  Egypt  (Ex.  xxiii. 
8,  ef.  Ac.  vii.  39-41);  forbidden  (Ex.  xx.  1-5,  xxiii.  24);  mixed  with  God's 
worship  (Ex.  xxxii.  1-^ ;  1  K.  xii.  27,  28) ;  they  imitated  Canaanites  in 
(Jud.  ii.  11-13;  1  Ch.  v.  25),  and  Moabites  (Nu.  xxv.  1-3),  and  Assyrians 
(Ez.  xvi.  28-30,  xxiii.  5-7),  and  Syrians  (Jud.  x.  6) ;  adopted  by  Solomon 
(1  K.  xi.  5-8) ;  other  kings  (1  K.  xxi.  26 ;  2  K.  xxi.  21 ;  2  Ch.  xxviii.  2-4, 
xxxiii.  3-7);  the  people  followed  (1  K.  xii.  30;  2  K.  xxi.  11;  2  Ch.  xxxiii. 
9) ;  prevailed  in  Israel  (Is.  ii.  8  ;  Jer.  ii.  28 ;  Ez.  viii.  10).  It  was  a  virtual 
forsaking  of  God  (Jer.  ii.  19-3),  and  though  withstood  by  good  kings  of 
Judah  (2  Ch.  xv.  16,  xxxiv.  7),  it  ultimately  led  to  captivity  of  Israel 
(2  K.  xvii.  6-18)  and  of  Judah  (19-23). 

IV.  Moral  and  Beligious  Suggestions.— Cost  of  heathen 
temples  and  worship  has  been  often  contrasted  with  that  of  Christian 
worship,  to  the  disparagement  of  latter.  (Heathen  more  ready  to  do  for 
the  false  than  Christians  for  the  true.)  But  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  great  temples  were,  1.  not  numerous  ;  2.  that  they  were  national,  built 
— as  that  of  Diana,  and  at  Delphi — by  collections  and  levies  spread  over  a 
vast  area  in  which  were  few  ts.,  or  by  the  influence  of  despotic  kings,  and 
from  public  treasuries.  The  temples,  etc.,  of  Christianity  (abbeys,  cathe- 
drals, etc.)  far  more  numerous  and  costly  (St.  Peter  s,  at  Rome,  669  ft.  long, 
442  ft.  bd.,  432  ft.  high;  176  years  in  building.  St.  Paul's,  London, 
510  ft.  long,  282  ft.  bd.,  404  ft.  hi<?h,  cost  £1,511,202),  while  the  churches 
and  chapels,  etc.,  are  far  more  diffused.  Many  in  every  town  of  Christian 
lands ;  and  in  Protestant  countries  every  little  knot  of  Christian  people 
will,  without  coercion,  build  a  sanctuary  for  their  own  use,  at  their  own 
cost,  besides  supporting  their  minister  and  Christian  institutions.  Never- 
theless, the  cost  and  splendour  of  some  anc.  temples  prove  how  strong  a 
hold  upon  the  mind  even  a  superstitious  creed  had  in  the  olden  time. 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  The  truth  makes  men  free  from  enslaving 
creeds  and  superstitious  practices.  2.  Note  the  power  of  Christianity.  It 
imparts  the  life  out  of  which  our  churches  and  organizations  (as  Sunday- 
schools)  spring,  and  by  which  they  are  sustained.  3.  Faithfully  guard 
the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  4.  Resist  all  ritualistic  and  other 
pagan  innovations. 

"  What,  Dagon  up  again  !     I  thought  we  had  hurl'd  him 
Down  on  the  threshold,  never  more  to  rise. 
Bring  wedge  and  axe,  and,  neighbours,  lend  your  hands, 
And  rive  the  idol  into  winter  fagots !  "     (Athelstane.) 

"  'Tis  mad  idolatry, 
To  make  the  service  greater  than  the  god."     (Shakspeare.) 


138 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Primitive  Sacrifice.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Patriarchal 


Altar  of  Burnt-offering. 


I.  Origin  of  Sacrifice. — Uncertain,  in  the  total  silence  of  the 
Bible,  whether  sacrifice  was  at  first  commanded,  or  whether  it  arose 
fr.  a  sense  of  sin,  and   forfeited  fellowship   with   God.      The    first 

recorded  right  ss.  were  accepted  (Ge.  iv. 
4,  -via.   20,  21)  ;  and  fr.  their  nature  one 
would  suppose  the  existence,  though  un- 
written, of  a  law  on  the  subject.   The  insti- 
tution of  s.  is  aftwds.  expressly  recorded 
(Ge.   xv.    9).      We  incline   to    the   belief 
that  both  suppositions  are  correct  :  that 
s.  was  ordered  by  a  law  wh.  some  obeyed, 
and   others — as  Cain — ignored  ;   and  that 
in  the  case  of  those  who  at  first  refused 
obedience,    or  who  in  aft.  times  had  not 
the  law,  s.  grew  out  of  human  conscious- 
ness of  guilt,  and  the  felt  need  of  atone- 
ment.      "  All  allow  that  the  eucharistic 
and  deprecatory  ideas  of  s.  are  perfectly 
natural  to  man.     The  higher  view  of  its 
expiatory  character,   dependent,   as   it  is,   entirely   on   its   typical 
nature,  appears  but  gradually  in  Scripture..  ....  It  is  as   likely  that 

it  pleased  God  gradually  to  superadd  the  higher  idea  to  an  institu- 
tion derived  by  man  fr.  the  lower  ideas  (wh.  must  eventually  find 
their  justification  in  the  higher),  as  that  He  originally  commanded 
the  institution  when  the  time  for  the  revelation  of  its  full  meaning 

was  not  yet  come The  inference  is  at  least  prob.  that  when  God 

sanctified  formallv  a  natural  rite,  then,  and  not  till  then,  did  He 
define  its  method."     (8.  B.  D.  ;  but  see  J.  B.  A.  V.,  374.) 

II.  Early  Sacrifices.-  [Cain  and  Abel— Ge.  iv.  4.]  Heb. 
minchah  —  a  giving,  or  thing  given  (same  word  in  Ge.  xxxii.  13, 
20,  21  ;  LXX.  o<opoi>  =  a  gift;  2  S.  viii.  2,  6  ;  1  K.  iv.  21  ;  in  Ge. 
iv.  3,  5;  in  Lev.  ii.  1,  4,  5,  6,  with  korban  =  an  approaching).  Usage 
of  word  points  to  that  notion  of  s.  wh.  represents  it  as  a  thank- 
offering  to  God,  our  King.  The  distinction  in  the  offerers  lay  in  their 
faith  (Heb.  xi.  4).  Faith  of  Abel,  prob.  referred  to  promise  of  the 
Redeemer ;  but  this  not  settled  by  Bible.  [Noah.— Ge.  viii.  20.] 
Heb.  olah  =  burnt-offering.  It  is  connec.  with  covenant  (Ge.  ix. 
8-17).  A  like  confirmation  of  covenant  in  olah  of  Abraham  (Ge.  xv. 
9  ;  see  also  xii.  7,  8,  xiii.  8,  xxvi.  25,  xxxiii.  20.  xxviii.  18,  xxxv. 
14).  The  chief  idea  seems  to  be  the  acknowledgment  of  a  bond 
betw.  the  offerer  and  God ;  and  dedication  of  offerer — represented  by 
victim — to  God's  service.  [Offering  of  Isaac— Ge.  xxii.  1-13.]  Here 
we  have  also  the  notion  of  dedication ;  but  not  without  the  in- 
corporated expiatory  idea.  If  the  offering  of  Isaac  showed  Abraham's 
faithful  obedience,  the  ram — God's  chosen  substitute — is  suggestive 
of  other  ideas  than  mere  dedication.   [Job— i.  5,  xlii.  8.]  This  s.  points 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  139 

Times]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Primitive  Sacrifice. 

clearly  to  expiation,  which  is  prominently  noticed,  and  associated 
with  repentance  and  prayer.  [  Moses — Ex.  x.  25.]  Heb.  Zebach, 
fr.  root  =  to  slaughter  animals  — esp.  to  kill  in  sacrifice.  A  bloody 
sacrifice,  blood -shedding  being  the  essential  idea.  "  Thus  it  is  op- 
posed to  minchah  (Ps.  xl.  6),  and  to  olah  (Ex.  x.  25,  xviii.  12,  etc.); 
with  it  the  expiatory  idea  of  sacrifice  is  naturally  connected." 
(S.  B.  D.)  The  chief  idea  is  deprecatory  :  the  object  is  to  appease 
the  wrath  and  avert  the  vengeance  of  God  {cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  28  ;  Heb. 
ix.  22).  Hence  at  this  early  period,  as  afterwards — (see  Sacrifices) — 
ss.  were  of  three  classes  —  burnt-offering, — thank-offering, — expiatory. 
(The  latter  is  excepted  by  Jahn.     J.  B.  A.,  v.  375.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  s.  not  a  mod. 
invention.  Coeval  with  human  race.  Referred  to  in  first  notice  as  a 
thing  of  course,  and  previously  in  existence.  2.  s.  prob.  of  Divine  origin, 
since  not  likely  that  external  worship  was  left  to  the  will  of  fallen  man,  a 
mere  child  in  knowledge.  3.  8.  consistent  with  dictates  of  human  con- 
science :  hence,  in  some  form  or  other,  connected  with  every  religion, 
false  as  well  as  true,  as  an  essential  element  of  worship.  4.  The  multi- 
tude of  ss.  showed  that  man  universally  believed  that  pardon  was  to  be 
obtained  by  that  means  ;  while  the  variety,  and  select  character,  in  some 
cases  {ill.  sacred  animals),  showed  human  anxiety  ;  and  the  insufficiency 
of  any  one  humanly  devised  s.  to  give  peace. 

"  Not  all  the  blood  of  beasts, 

On  Jewish  altars  slain, 
Could  give  the  guilty  conscience 


peace, 
Or  wash  away  the  stain. 


But  Christ,  the  heavenly  Lamb, 
Takes  all  our  sins  away ; 
A  sacrifice  of  nobler  name 
And  richer  blood  than  they." 
{Watts.) 


5.  The  early  altars  being  of  earth,  or  unhewn  stone  (Ex.  xx.  24,  25  ; 
Deu.  xxvii.  5,  6),  while  brick  was  hateful  to  God  (Is.  lxv.  3),  suggests 
that  as  little  as  possible,  even  of  the  sacrifices  at  first  offered  on  them,  was 
of  human  contrivance  ;  and  the  fact  that  such  altars — the  first  that  could 
have  been  used — were  afterwards  ordained  to  be  in  use,  shows  God's 
approval  of  these  earliest  ones,  and  suggests  they  and  their  ss.  were  of 
His  appointment.  6.  The  altar  nothing — it  might  be  made  of  rude 
materials  ;  the  s.  was  everything — it  must  be  select,  and  offered  aright  in 
manner  and  spirit.  The  "  mean  altar  of  our  heart,"  the  sacrifice  every- 
thing (Mat.  xxiii.  18). 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Gratitude  due  to  God  for  (1)  appointing 
what  man  had  no  right  to  assume  would  suffice,  had  he  been  able  to 
invent  it ;  or  (2)  for  accepting  and  fencing  with  law — so  as  to  render 
vain  offerings  unnecessary  experiments — that  wh.  had  grown  out  of 
human  consciousness.  2.  The  great  sacrifice  for  sin,  that  to  which  other 
ss.  pointed,  and  hy  which  they  were  made  effectual.  3.  Jesus  the 
divinely-appointed  sacrifice  for  our  sin.  He  was  made  sin  for  us;  bore 
our  sins  in  His  own  body  on  the  tree.  When  He  died  in  our  nature  and 
Btead,  our  sins,  borne  by  Him,  died.  Through  faith  in  Him,  we  are  de- 
livered from  the  condemnation  due  to  us  for  our  offences. 


140  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHEE8. 

Dreams,  Visions.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Patriarchal 

I.  Note  on  Dreams  and  Dreaming. — In  sleep  the  perceptive 
faculties — i.e.  the  sensational  powers  {Butler's  Ana.,  i.  1),  and  the 
fancy  wh.  combines  the  impressions  thence  derived — are  active  ;  while 
the  reflective  powers — i.  e.  reason  and  judgment — are  asleep. 

"  But  know,  that  in  the  mind 
Are  many  lesser  faculties,  that  serve 
Reason  as  chief :  among  these  Fancy  next 
Her  office  holds  ;  of  all  external  things, 
Which  the  five  watchful  senses  represent, 
She  forms  imaginations,  airy  shapes, 
"Which   reason,  joining  or  disjoining, 

frames 
All  what  we  affirm,  or  what  deny,  and  call 
Our  knowledge  or  opinion ;  then  retires 
Into  her  private  cell,  when  Nature  sleeps." 
Eastern  Pillows.  {Milton.) 

Still  there  are  D.  not  very  common  nor  often  noticed,  in  wh.  the 
reason  is  not  entirely  asleep — when  we  have  a  feeling  that  it  is  a  D. 
In  D.  as  in  waking  thoughts,  their  material  is  supplied  by  ourselves 
(through  the  senses,  memory,  imagination),  by  other  men  (through 
speech),  or  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  or  of  superior  spirits  to  our  own,  or 
by  our  own  spirit.  A  few  words  whispered  into  the  sleeper's  ear 
have  been  known  to  produce  a  corresponding  D.  "The  Scripture 
declares,  not  as  any  strange  thing,  but  as  a  thing  of  course,  that  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  soul  extends  to  its  sleeping 
as  well  as  to  its  waking  thoughts.  It  declares  that  God  communi- 
cates with  the  spirit  of  man  directly  in  dreams,  and  also  that  He  per- 
mits created  spirits  to  have  a  like  communication  with  it."  (S.  B.  D.) 
II.  Dreams  referred  to  in  the  Bible. — [Job — iv.  3,  vii.  14, 
xxxiii.  15.]  Job  regards  Ds.  etc.,  as  the  chosen  method  of  God's 
revelation  of  Himself.  [Paul — 1  Cor.  xiv.  15.]  Ds.  referred  to  as  a 
mode  of  Divine  revelation,  but  lower  than  prophetic  visions.  Hence, 
also,  dreamers  of  Ds.  (Nu.  xii.  6;  Deu.  xiii.  1,  3,  5;  Jer.  xxvii.  9; 
Joel  ii.  28)  are  placed  lower  than  prophets.  [Abimelech — Gen.  xx. 
3-7;  Laban — xxxi.  24;  Butler  and  Baker — xl.  5;  Pharaoh— xli. 
1-8;  Midianite — Jud.  vii.  13;  Nebuchadnezzar— Dan.  ii.  1-,  iv. 
10-18;  Magi— Mat.  ii.  12;  wife  of  Pilate— Mat.  xxvii.  19.]  Ds.  of 
prediction,  or  warning,  to  aliens  to  Jewish  covenant :  sent  by  God, 
and  in  accordance  with  the  principle  that  while,  under  the  Christian 
dispensation,  we  read  of  trances,  etc.,  as  means  of  Divine  communica- 
tion, ds.  are  never  referred  to.  They  were  often  obscure,  and  needed 
an  interpreter.  The  interpreter  [ill.  Joseph,  Daniel)  being  one  of 
God's  servants,  who  was  communicated  with  in  other  ways  than  by 
a  D.  Still  God  did  communicate  with  His  people  by  Ds.,  but  in  the 
time  of  their  early  and  imperfect  knowledge  of  Him,  as  in  the  case 
of  Abraham  (Ge.  xv.  12),  Jacob  (xxviii.  12-15),  Joseph  (xxxvii.  5-10), 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  141 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIQIOX.  [Dreams,  Visions. 

Solomon  (1  K.  iii.  5),  Joseph,  N.  T.  (Mat.  i.  20,  ii.  13,  19,  22).  [Daniel 
— ii.  19,  vii.  1]  the  only  exception  to  hitter  rule,  "  apparently  in  order 
to  put  to  shame  the  falsehoods  of  the  Chaldean  belief  in  prophetic 
Ds.  and  in  the  power  of  interpretation,  and  yet  to  bring  out  the 
latent  truth  therein.  Comp.  Paul's  miracles  at  Ephesus,  Acts  xix.  11, 
12,  and  their  effect.  "  (S.  B.  I).) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  The  general  con- 
clusion, therefore,  is,  first,  that  the  Scripture  claims  the  D.,  as  it  does  every 
other  action  of  the  human  mind,  as  a  medium  through  wh.  God  may  speak 
to  man  either  directly — that  is,  as  we  call  it,  "  providentially,"  or  indirectly, 
in  virtue  of  a  general  influence  upon  all  his  thoughts  ;  and,  secondly,  that 
it  lays  far  greater  stress  on  that  Divine  influence  by  which  the  under- 
standing also  is  affected,  and  leads  us  to  believe  that  as  such  influence 
extends  more  and  more,  revelation  by  dreams,  unless  under  very  peculiar 
circumstances,  might  be  expected  to  pass  away."   (•$'.  B.  I>.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Goodness  of  God  in  using  even  the  d.  as 
a  medium  of  communicating  instruction  to  His  friends,  and  warning  to  His 
foes.  2  Possessing  the  written  Revelation — a  sure  word  of  prophecy — we 
need  not  this  special  and  personal  mode  of  revelation.  3.  To  regard  our 
dreams  as.  warnings,  is  to  class  ourselves  with  aliens,  who  alone  were 
warned  ;  to  regard  them  as  revelations,  is  egotistical.  Who  are  we,  to  need 
more  than  "the  prophets  have  written"  ?  4.  The  ds.  that  affect  us  most 
are  seldom  distinctly  remembered.  How  foolish  to  "  hunt  half  a  day  for 
a  forgotten  dream"*!  {Wordsworth.)  5.  ds.  suggestive  of  the  distinct  in- 
dividuality of  the  spirit  of  man.  Why  may  it  not  be  active,  and  capable 
of  receiving  external  impressions,  when  the  body  sleeps  the  sleep  of  death? 

6.  How  easily  accessible  to  impressions  fr.  without  is  our  spiritual  being  ! 

"  And  yet,  as  angels  in  some  brighter  dreams 
Call  to  the  soul  when  man  doth  sleep, 
So  some  strange  thoughts  transcend  our  wonted  themes, 
And  into  glory  peep."  {Henry  Vaughan.) 

7.  ds.  ill  (1)  prosperity  of  sinners  (Job  xx.  5-8 ;  Ps.  lxxiii.  19,  20) ; 
(2)  impure  imaginations  (Jude  8) ;  (3)  enemies  of  the  Church  (Is. 
xxix.  7,  8). 

"  Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold, 
And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 
'  What  writest  thou  ? '    The  vision  raised  his  head, 
And  in  a  voice,  made  all  of  sweet  accord, 
Answer'd,  '  The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord ! ' 
4  And  is  mine  one  ? '     Ben  Adhem  ask'd.     '  Nay,  not  so,' 
Replied  the  angel.     Abou  spoke  more  low, 
lint  cheerful  still, — '  I  pray  thee,  then, 
Write  me  as  one  who  loves  his  fellow-men.' 
The  angel  wrote,  and  vanish'd.     The  next  night 
He  came  again,  and  with  a  great  waking  light, 
And  show'd  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  bless'd, 
And  lo!  Ben  Adhem's  led  the  rest." 
Vol.  II.— 10 


142 


T0PIC8    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Priests.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Levitical 


Priest. 


I.  Descriptive. — Title  :  Priest  is  a  contr.  of  presbyter,  i  e., 
elder;  and  is  used  by  us  to  represent  the  Heb.  word  cohen,  o.  T.,  and 
the  Gk.  word  hierus,  N.  T.  Meaning  of  cohen  uncertain :  ace.  to 
Gesenius,  "  one  who  communicates  God's 
will  to  man;"  ace.  to  Shaalsehutz,  "one 
who  ministers,  or  serves."  The  hierus  of 
N.  T.  is  applied  to  Heb.  and  heathen  priest- 
hood, not  to  Christian  ministry.  Origin  : 
Need  of  presenting  acceptable  sacrifice  in 
acceptable  way.  A  household  priesthood 
natural.  Hence  the  patriarchs  were  Ps. 
in  their  families  (Ge.  viii.  20,  xii.  8).  «  The 
P.  office  descended  to  firstborn.  This 
not  among  Hebs.  only  (xiv.  18;  Ex.  ii.  16). 
The  Ps.  were  a  distinct  class  in  Egypt 
(xlvii.  22,  26)  At  time  of  passover,  the 
household  priesthood  yet  obtained  (xii. 
3-6,  xix.  22).  Limit  to  tribe  of  Levi  : 
This  by  Divine  choice  (xxviii.  1  ;  Heb.  v. 
1-4),  opposition  to  wh.  was  quelled  by 
supernatural  interference  (Nu.  xvi.,  xvii  ), 
and  it  was  vested  in  fam.  of  Aaron,  who 
was  himself  the  first  [High-Priest]  conse- 
crated (Ex.  xl.  13;  Lev.  viii.  12),  and  called:  The  P.  (Ex.  xxix.  30; 
Neh.  vii.  65) ;  God's  h.-p.  (Ac.  xxiii.  4) ;  ruler  of  people  (Ex.  xxii. 
28,  cf.  Ac.  xxiii.  5).  His  office  was  hereditary  (Ex.  xxix.  29) ;  ranked 
next  the  king  (Lam.  ii.  6);  included  civil  authority  (1  S.  iv.  IS). 
Duties:  Off.  sacrifices  (Heb.  v.  1-3);  lighting  lamps  (Ex.  xxx.  8; 
Nu.  viii.  3);  atonement  yearly  (Lev.  xvi.;  Heb.  ix.  7);  bearing  names 
of  Israel  (Ex.  xxviii.  12,  29);  inquiring  of  God  (1  S.  xxiii.  9-12, 
xxx.  7,  8);  consecrating  Levites  (Nu.  viii.  11,  21);  app.  Ps.  (1  S. 
ii  36) ;  charge  of  treasury  (2  K.  xii.  10,  xxii.  4) ;  president  of  chief 
court  (Mat.  xxvi.  3,  57-62  ;  Ac.  v.  21-28,  xxiii.  1-5) ;  taking  census 
(Nu.  i.  3) ;  blessing  people  (Lev.  ix.  22,  23) ;  sometimes  prophesied 
(Jo.  xi.  49-52).  [Assisted  by  deputy  (2  S.  xv.  24;  Lu.  rii.  2),  called 
second  P.  (2  K.  xxv.  18),  who  had  oversight  of  Levites  (Nu.  iii.  32) 
and  tabernacle  (iv.  16).]  H.-P.  to  marry  a  virgin  of  Aaron's  fam. 
(Lev.  xxi.  13,  14).  Dress :  Ephod  and  girdle  (Ex.  xxviii.  4,  C>,  7,  39) ; 
coat  (4,  39);  robe  (31-35);  breastplate  (15-29);  mitre  (4,  39);  crown 
of  gold  (36-38);  made  by  Bezaleel  (3,  xxxvi.  1,  xxxix.  1);  when 
worn  (Ex.  xxix.  30;  Lev.  viii.  7-9);  desc.  to  successors  (Ex.  xxix. 
29) ;  wore  ordinary  priest's  robe  when  making  atonement  (Lev. 
xvi.  4).  He  was  the  chief  of  the  priests  who  were  priests  by  here- 
ditary right  as  desc.  fr.  Aaron.  The  ordinary  [Priest]  was  publicly 
consecrated  (Ex.  xxviii.  3 ;  Nu.  iii.  3),  with  much  ceremony  (Ex. 
xxix.,  xxx.  30,  xl.  30;  Lev.  viii.),  wh.  lasted  seven  days  (Ex.  xxix. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


143 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Priests. 


^*mr 


35-37) ;  remained  in  tab.  7  days  (Lev.  viii.  33-36) ;  must  be  un- 
blemished (xxi.  17-23);  must  prove  their  genealogy  (Ezra  ii  62; 
Neh.  vii.  64).  Dress  (Ex.  xxviii.  28,  40-42).  Duties:  Care  of 
tab.  (Xu.  xviii.  1,  5,  7) ;  removing  sacred 
things  (iv.  5-15) ;  off.  sacrifices  (Lev.  i.-vi. ; 
2  Ch.  xxix.  34,  xxxv.  11);  care  of  laaips 
(Ex.  xxvii.  20,  21;  Lev.  xxiv.  3,  4);  of 
sacred  tire  (vi  12,  13);  burning  incense 
(Ex.  xxx.  7,  8;  Lu.  i.  9);  care  of  shew- 
bread  (Lev.  xxiv.  5-9) ;  off.  first-fruits  (xxiii. 
10,  11;  Deu.  xxvi.  3,  4);  blessing  people 
(Xu.  vi.  23-27);  purifying  the  unclean  (Lev. 
xv.  30.  31) ;  case  of  jealousy  (Nu.  v.  14,  15); 
of  leprosy  (Lev.  xiii.  2-59,  xiv.  34-45) ;  of 
controversy  (Deu.  xvii.  8-13,  xxi.  5);  teach- 
ing the  law  (Deu.  xxxiii.  8,  10  ;  Mai.  ii.  7) ; 
blowing  trumpets  (Nu.  x.  1-10;  Jos.  vi.  3, 
4);  carrying  ark  (iii.  6,  17,  vi.  12);  en- 
couraging the  people  in  war  (Deu.  xx.  1-4); 
valuing  things  devoted  (Lev.  xxvii.  8). 
Revenues;  Had  no  inheritance ;  hence,  lived 
by  the  altar  (Deu.  xviii.  1,2;  1  Cor.  ix.  13); 
tenth  of  Levites'  tithes  (Nu.  xviii.   26,  28;  High-Priest. 

Neh.  x.  37,  38;  Heb.  vii.  5)  ;  first-fruits  (Nu.  xviii.  8,  12,  13;  Deu. 
xviii.  4);  redemption-money  (Nu.  iii.  48,  51,  xviii.  15,  16);  first-born 
of  animals  (17,  18,  cf.  Ex.  xiii.  12,  13);  first  of  wool  (Deu.  xviii.  4); 
shew-bread.  (Lev.  xxiv  9;  IS.  xxi.  4-6;  Mat.  xii.  4);  part  of 
sacrifices  (Lev.  vii.  6-10,  31-34);  devoted  things  (Nu.  xviii.  14); 
unowned  restitutions  (v.  8);  portion  of  spoil  of  war  (xxxi.  29,  41) ; 
13  Lev.  cities  for  residence  (1  Ch.  vi.  57-60,  cf.  Nu.  xxxv.  1-8); 
special  laws  (Lev.  x.  9,  xxi.  1-6,  xxii.  1-16). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [High-Priest]  a  Ttpe 
of  Christ.  Title  (Heb.  iii.  1) ;  called  (v.  4,  5) ;  appointment-(Is.  lxi.  1  ; 
Jo.  i.  32-34);  making  atonement  (Lev.  xvi.  33;  Heb.  ii.  17);  dress  (Ex. 
xxviii.  2,  cf.  Jo.  i.  14) ;  liable  to  temptation  (Heb.  ii.  18) ;  compassion 
^iv.  15,  v.  1,  2) ;  marrying  a  virgin  (Lev.  xxi.  13,  14;  2  Cor.  xi.  2) ;  holy 
office  (Lev.  xxi.  15,  cf.  Heb.  vii.  26)  ;  himself  performed  services  on  day 
of  atonement  (Lev.  xvi.,  cf.  Heb.  i.  3) ;  bearing  names  of  Israel  on  his 
heart  (Ex.  xxviii.  29,  cf.  Song  viii.  6) ;  alone  entered  holv  place  (Heb.  ix. 
7,  cf.  24,  26,  iv.  14) ;  interceding  (Nu.  xvi.  43-48;  Heb.  vii.  25);  blessing 
(Lev.  ix.  22,  23  ;  Ac.  iii.  26). 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Our  High  Priest  ever  liveth  to  fulfil  the 
work   of  an  intercessor.     2.    He  has  made  oblation  for  the  sins  of  His 

3.  He  was  sacrifice  as  well  as  Priest.  4.  His  sacrifice  was 
accepted;  His  intercession  prevails.  5.  It  is  our  great  duty  and  blessed 
privilege  to  believe  and  be  saved. 


144  TOPICS    FOE    TEACHERS. 


true  hELIGlON.  [Levitical 


I.  Descriptive,  etc — L.  dcsc.  of  Levi,  whence  their  name. 
Note,  1,  l.  did  not  multiply  fast  (Nu.  iii.  39) ;  only  22,000,  including 
males  a  month  old ;  i.e.  fewer  than  other  tribes  above  20  yrs.    Note, 

2,  a  curse  (Ge.  xlix.  7)  fulfilled,  and  made 
a  blessing!     Sins  of  fathers  vis.  on  children 
(Ex.  xx.  5),  but  penally  on  those  alone  who 
share   in   lathers'  sins   (xviii.    5-20).     The 
tribe  of  L.  having  vindicated  God's  honour 
without  regard  to  earthly  ties  (xxxii.  25-29), 
J  I    |'l    it  was  selected  for  special  religious  services 
:lli5s_  (Deu.  x.  8,  9,  xviii.  1,  2,  xxxiii.  8-11).    The 
1^    tr.  of  L.  consisted  of  3  great  fam.:  Kohathites, 
who  had  charge  of  sac.  vessels;  Gershonitr.s, 
care  of  hangings  and  curtains ;   Merarites, 
Levites.  0f  boards  and  pillars,  etc.  (Nu.  iii.  21-37,  iv., 

vii.  4-9,  viii.  23-26).  Having  no  tribal  territory  assigned  them,  the 
L.  were  scattered  in  48  cities  belonging  to  other  tribes  (xxxv.  1-8) ; 
of  these  13  were  for  the  priests,  and  6  for  refuge  (q.  v.)  (Jos.  xxi. 
1-42  ;  1  Ch.  vi.  54-81). 

II.  Bible  References  to  Levites.— Desc.  fr.  3rd  son  of  Jacob 
—Levi  (Ge;  xxix.  34;  Heb.  vii.  9,  10);  prediction  respecting  (Ge. 
xlix.  5,  7;  Deu.  xxxiii.  8-11);  3  fams.  (Nu.  iii.  17;  1  Ch.  vi.  16  48) ; 
not  included  in  census  (Nu.  i.  47-49),  but  reckoned  after  (iii.  14-16, 
39) ;  chosen  for  sacred  work  (iii.  6  ;  1  Ch.  xv.  2) ;  consecrated  (Nu. 
viii.  6,  14;  J.  B.  A  ,  iv.  364),  instead  of  firstborn  (Nu.  iii.  12,  13,  40- 
45,  viii.  16-18);  cause  of  their  selection  (Ex.  xxxii.  26-28,  cf.  Deu. 
xxxiii.  9,  10);  entered  service  at  25  yrs.  (Nu  viii.  24),  as  ministers  at 
30  (iv.  3,  23),  superannuated  at  50  (viii.  25),  then  had  lighter  work 
(26).  Mode  of  consecration  (Nu.  viii ) ;  place  in  the  camp  (i.  50,  52, 
53,  iii.  23,  29,  35) ;  duties,  ministering  to  the  Lord  (Deu.  x.  8),  to 
priests  (iii.  6,  7,  xviii.  2)  ;  to  people  (2  Ch.  xxxv.  3) ;  charge  of 
sanctuarv  (Nu.  xviii.  3  ;  1  Ch.  xxiii.  32),  sacred  vessels,  etc.  (Nu  iii. 
8  ;  1  Ch/ix.  28-30),  treasures  (xxvi.  20),  of  tithes,  etc.  (2  Ch.  xxxi.  11- 
19;  Neh.  xii.  44);  preparing  sacrifices  for  priests  (1  Ch.  xxiii.  31; 
2  Ch.  xxxv.  11),  shew-bread  (1  Ch.  ix.  31,  32,  xxiii.  29),  purifying 
holy  things  (28),  weights  and  measures  (29) ;  public  instruction 
(2  Ch.  xvii.  8,  9,  xxx.  22,  xxxv.  3 ;  Neh.  viii.  7),  blessing  people 
(Deu.  x.  8),  gates  of  temple  (1  Ch.  ix.  17-2P,,  xxiii.  5  ;  2  Ch.  xxxv.  15 ; 
Neh.  xii.  25),  conducting  service  of  song  f\  Ch.  xxiii.  5-30;  2  Ch.  v. 
12,  13  ;  Neh.  xii.  24,  27-43),  singing  bef.  the  army  (2  Ch.  xx.  21,  22), 
judging,  etc.  (Deu.  xvii.  9;  1  Ch.  xxiii.  4;  2  Ch.  xix.  8).  King's 
body-guard  (2  K.  xi.  5-9;  2  Ch.  xxiii.  5-7);  no  inheritance  (Deu.  x. 
9:  Jos.  xiii.  33,  xiv.  3);  to  be  treated  kindly  (Deu.  xii.  12,  18,  19, 
xiv.  29,  xvi.  11,  14),  support  (Nu.  xviii.  21,  24;  2  Ch.  xxxi.  4,  5; 
Neh.  xii.  44,  45,  cf.  Heb.  vii.  5) ;  gave  a  tenth  of  their  tithes  to 
priests  (Nu.  xviii.  26-32),  had  part  of  offerings  (Deu.  xviii.  1,  2). 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  145 

Times]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Levites. 

In  lime  of  David  were  organized  (1  Ch.  xxiii.,  cf.  xxv.  8-31 ;  2  Ch. 
viii.  14,  xxxi.  17);  aft.  aptivity  (Ezra  vi  18),  chief  officers  (Nu. 
iii.  24,  30,  35;  1  Ch.  xv.  4-10;  2  Ch.  xxv.  9),  under  h.-priest's 
deputy  (Nu.  iii.  32  ;  1  Ch.  ix.  20) ;  lodged  round  the  temple  while  on 
duty  (27).  Encroached  on  priestly  office,  and  punished  (Nu.  xvi. 
1-3,5,  xviii.  3). 

III.  Historical  Note.— "  Aft.  erection  of  the  temple  in  Palestine, 
as  the  l.  had  much  less  to  do  than  previously  to  that  time,  David  divided 
the  ;JS,0(K)  of  them  into  4  classes  :  2 1,000  were  to  assist  the  priests  ;  4,000 
■were  to  be  porters;  4,000  to  be  musicians;  6,000  judges  and  genealogists. 
Musicians,  subdivided  into  2-1  classes,  performed  their  services  alternately, 
week  by  week.  The  stations,  guarded  by  men  whose  duty  it  was  to  watch 
the  temple,  were  not  all  occupied  by  same  number :  some  by  6,  others  4, 
others  2.     These  guards  were  relieved  every  Sabbath." 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Levites  as  much 
servants  of  the  Lord  as  the  priests  were.  Every  official,  however  humble, 
needful  to  give  completeness  to  the  whole  service.  Levites,  etc.,  did  their 
work  as  unto  the  Lord.  Envious  views  of  official  relations  of  others 
damaging  to  one's  character,  position,  and  work.  Better  that  each  should 
do  his  own  work,  whatever  it  may  be,  well.  Better  be  faithful  in  an  in- 
ferior office  than  neglect  the  duties  of  a  superior  one.  Better  be  a  good 
Levite  than  a  bad  priest.  They  that  serve  at  the  altar  shall  live  by  the 
altar.  Wisdom  of  God  in  providing  for  filling  of  offices  that  else  might 
have  been  neglected  by  some  or  coveted  by  others.  His  mercy  in  provid- 
ing for  sustenance  of  those  whose  time  was  wholly  occupied  ab.  religious 
duties.  Levites  were 'to  judge,  etc. ;  men  are  not  to  be  too  perfunctory, 
and  confine  themselves  to  the  bare  duties  of  office.  Faithful  men  will 
strive  to  see  how  much  they  can  do,  not  how  little  may  suffice. 

V.  Practical  Hints.— Be  faithful  in  little  things.  Better  be  a 
doorkeeper  in  house  of  God  than  dwell  in  tents  of  wickedness.  A  noble 
character  may  dignify  a  small  office.  Office  may  be  magnified  by  character 
of  its  holder  (Bo.  xi.  13). 

[Addenda. — Book  of  Leviticus.  Third  Bk.  of  Pentateuch,  called  by 
Jews  va-yikra  (=  And  he  called),  fr.  the  first  word  in  it.  Leviticus  =  the 
Levitical  book,  because  its  principal  contents  are  the  laws  and  regiflations 
relating  to  Levitas,  priests,  and  sacrifices.  Termed  in  Babylonian  Talmud 
Law  of  the  Priests;  so  also  in  Arabic  and  Syrian  versions.  Author, 
Moses.  Contains  history  of  one  month  ;  i.  e.,  fr.  erection  of  tabernacle  to. 
numbering  of  people  who  were  fit  for  war,  in  second  month  of  a.m.  2-514, 
B.c.  1490  (Ex.  xl.  17,  cf.  Nu.  i.  1).  Divided  by  Jews  into  9  paraschioth, 
consisting  of  4  leading  points:  (1)  Laws  concerning  sacrifices ;  (2)  Institu- 
tion of  priesthood  ;  (3)  Laws  concerning  purifications  of  priests  and  peo- 
ple ;  (4)  Laws  concerning  festivals,  vows,  tithes.  Purpose  of  book,  to  make 
known  to  Israelites  the  Levitical  laws,  etc.,  and  by  these  "shadows  of 
good  things  to  come"  to  lead  the  Israelites  to  the  Messiah  (Heb.  x.  1,  cf. 
Gal.  iii.  4).  The  Hebs.  had  some  idea  of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  these 
institutions  (1  Cor.  x.  1-4).  The  best  comment  on  Book  of  Leviticus  is 
the  Ep.  to  the  Hebrews.] 


146 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Tabernacle.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Levitieal 

I.  Historical  and  Descriptive.— Origin  :  Prob.  fr.  earliest 
days  there  had  been  a  sacred  tent,  since  there  were  priests,  sacrifices, 
etc.     Soon  aft.  the  exodus  we  have  notice  of  one  (Ex.  xxxiii.  7-11).' 

„ At  length  the  command  lor  construction 

«L -  ,     I  of  a  special  T.  Mas  given  ;  and  the  people 

were  invited  to  give  wiUinglyfai  this  woik. 
Description  :    Ace.  to  Divine  pattern. 
^_  Like  com.  tent,  wh.  is  gen.  divided  into 

2  parts  ;  the  inner  lighted  with  lamps, 
and  not  open  to  strangers.     The  T.  Mas 
>     30  cub.  long  (=52  ft.  6  in.,  or  taking 
the  short  cub.  45  ft.),  10  cub.  brd.  and 
high.      IfYamework,    upright    boards    of 
~°kjf?jff5j    shitlim    (=  acacia)  wood,  overlaid   with 
-        gold,  fitting  into  silver  sockets  let  into 
Tabernacle.  ground,  and  joined  together  by  transverse 

bars  passing  through  gold  rings.  Ea.  of  these  boards  was  1|  cub. 
brd.  These  20  ea.  side.  Coverings,  four  in  number;  the  first 
of  byss  =  tine  linen,  blue,  purple,  scarlet,  embroidered  with  cheru- 
bim. Prob.  this  was  the  interior  curtain,  covering  the  roof,  and 
falling  inside.  The  second  of  goats'-hair,  wh.  prob.  entirely  covered 
the  outside.  The  third  of  rams'-skins  dyed  red;  and  the  "fourth  of 
badgers'-skin.  The  last  two  were  prob.  weather-guards.  Interior, 
10  cubs.  ;  fr.  one  end  a  curtain — cnlled  a  veil — divided  T.  into  two 
parts.  One,  the  smaller— called  the  most  holy  place — contained  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  q.  v.  The  other  part— called  the  holy  place — 
contained  table  of  shew-bread,  N.,  golden  candlestick,  S.,  and 
altar  of  incense  in  the  centre.  Outer  court :  Round  the  T.  was  an 
open  court  100  cub.  by  50  cub.,  surrounded  by  columns — 20  ea.  side, 
10  ea.  end  ;  and  hangings  on  three  sides  and  part  of  fourth.  Into 
this  court  the  people  might  enter.  Time :  It  was  finished  in  ab.  9 
mo.     Cost  estimated  at  £250,000. 

II.  Bible  Eefs.  to  Tabernacle.  — Command  to  make  (Ex. 
xxv.  9,  xxvi.  30 ;  Heb.  viii.  5) ;  offerings  (Ex.  xxv.  1-8,  xxxv.  4,  5, 
21-29) ;  workmen  taught  of  God  (xxxi.  2-7,  xxxv.  30-35,  xxxvi.  1)  ; 
called  T.  of  the  Lord  (Jos.  xxii.  19  ;  1  K.  ii.  28  ;  1  Ch.  xvi.  39) ;  of 
testimony  (Ex.  xxxviii.  21  ;  Nu.  i.  50,  xvii.  7,  8 ;  2  Ch.  xxiv.  6  ; 
Ac.  vii.  44)  ;  of  congregation  (Ex.  xxvii.  21,  xxxiii.  .7,  xl.  26)  ;  of 
Shiloh  (Ps.  lxxviii.  60)  ;  of  Joseph  (67) ;  temple  of  the  Lord  (1  S.  i. 
9,  iii.  3)  ;  house  of  the  Lord  (Jos.  vi.  24;  IS.  i.  7,  24)  ;  movab'e, 
hence  suited  for  wandeiings  (2  S.  vii.  6,  7)  ;  purpose  (Ex.  xxv.  8  ; 
xxix.  42,  43).  Description  (Ex.  xxvi.,  xxxvi.)  Divisions:  Holy 
place  (Ex.  xxvi.  33  ;  Heb.  ix.  2,  6)  ;  holiest  (Ex.  xxvi.  34  ;  Heb.  ix. 
3,  7) ;  outer  court  (Ex.  xxvii.,  xxxviii.,  xl.) ;  furniture,  q.  v.  (xxvi. 
35,  xl.  22,  24,  26 ;  Heb.  ix.  24) ;  first  set  up  (Ex.  xl.  2,  17) ;  was  set 
up  at  Sinai  (Ex.  xl.  18,  19,  cf.   Nu.  x.  11,  12) ;  Gilgal  (Jos.  v.  10, 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  147 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Tabernacle. 

11);  Shiloh  (xviii.  1,  xix.  51);  Nob  (1  S.  xxi.  1-6);  finally  at 
Gibeon  (1  Ch.  xvi.  39,  xxi.  29).  Consecration  (Ex.  xl.  9;  Lev.  viii. 
10  ;  No.  vii.  1)  ;  sprinkled  with  blood  (Heb.  ix.  21)  ;  sanctified  (Ex. 
xxix.  4:?,  xl.  31 ;  Nus  ix.  15)  ;  Shekinah  (Ex.  xxv.  22  ;  Lev.  xvi.  2  ; 
Nu.  vii.  89);  cloud  (Ex.  xl.  38;  Nu.  ix.  15,  10).  Priests  alone 
entered,  etc.  (Nu.  xviii.  1-10;  lleb.  viii.  2,  ix.  6).  Levitcs'  relation 
to  (Xu.  i.  50,  51,  iii.  6-8,  23,  29,  35,  iv:  15,  25,  31,  xviii.  2-4).  Sub- 
stituted by  temple  when  the  kingdom  was  established  (2  S.  vii.  5-13). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. —The  t.  was  ill.  of 
Christ  (Is.  iv.  6  ;  Jo.  i.  14,  Greek  ;  Heb.  ix.  8,  9,  11)  ;  of  Church  (Ps.  xv. 

1  ;  Is.  bv.  2 ;  Heb.  viii.  2  ;  Rev.  xxi.  2,  3)  ;  of  human  body  (2  Cor.  v.  1 ; 

2  Pet.  i.  13).  The  holiest  of  heaven  (Heb.  vi.  19,  20,  ix.  12,  24,  x.  19). 
The  veil  of  Christ's  body  (Heb.  x.  20),  and  also  of  obscurity  of  Mosaic 
dispensation  (ix.  8-10,  cf.  Rom.  xvi.  25,  26,  xi.  19).  Solomon  thought  it 
a  wonderful  thing  that  God  should  dwell  in  his  superb  temple ;  yet  He 
dwelt  in  this  movable  tent ;  and  He  will  now  dwell  with  every  believer. 
On  Nu.  ix.  22  :  The  time  it  tarried  was  one  of  rest — of  relig.  activity  ; 
they  worshipped.  Seize  opportunities — time  of  temptation  (Nu.  xi.  l,xii.  10). 
Be  more  anxious  to  keep  the  cloud  in  sight  than  see  it  tarry — to  improve 
than  enjoy  refreshing  times,  or  prolong  them.  If  the  cloud  tarry  long,  think 
not  it  will  never  move.  Be  not  impatient  if  it  tarry  when  you  wish  to 
journey.  "Where  it  moves,  you  may  move  with  joy.  (Stems  and  Twigs,  66.) 
The  t.  made  way  for  splendid  temple ;  so  this  poor  body  of  ours  (1  Cor.  v. 
1-4).  Even  the*T.  glorified  by  God's  presence  :  His  presence  glorifies  the 
soul  (1  Cor.  iii.  16,  17,  vi.  19).  God's  presence  the  true  difference  between 
the  t.  and  other  tents  ;  and  this  makes  all  the  dif.  betw.  the  Christian 
and  other  men.  Therefore  was  the  t.  prized,  and  therefore  should  the 
Christian  guard  himself.  The  t.  commonly  made  aft.  Divine  pattern ;  so 
are  we.  The  t.  was  soon  taken  to  pieces.  We  too  shall  be  dissolved  ; 
pillars  and  cords  must  part  company,  t.  moved  when  and  whither  God 
willed ;  we  too  must  follow  Providence. 

"  These  things  are  our  examples,  given 
That  we  who  walk  in  brighter  day 
May  hold  our  faith  more  pure  than  they, 
Nor  in  this  bad  world  go  astray 
To  sin,  by  evil  passions  driven ; 

Till  He,  whom  type  and  lay  foretold 
In  mystic  signs  and  songs  of  old, 
Shall  lead  us  o'er  life's  dreary  wold, 
Safe  to  our  happy  home  in  heaven." 

(Verses for  Holy  Seasons.) 

IV.  "Practical  Hints. — 1.  Follow  the  cloud.  2.  God  loves  the 
cheerful  giver.  3.  He  gives  skill  to  workmen  and  artisans.  4.  Does  He 
dwell  in  our  hearts  ?  5.  If  so,  let  us  keep  this  temple  undefiled.  6.  Prepare 
for  the  body's  final  dissolution.  7-  Through  the  merits  of  Jesus,  hope  for 
a  better  house.     8.  His  glorified  body  the  pattern  of  ours  (Phil.  iii.  21). 


148 


TOPICS    FOTt    TEACHERS. 


The  Ark.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Levitical 


I.  Descriptive.— Word  means  simply  "a  chest"  or  "coffer" 
Hence  it  is  applied  to  the  vessel  built  by  Noah,  and  also  to  the  boat 
in  wh.  Moses  was  preserved.  Size:  2|  cubs,  long,  \\  brd.,  \\  deep. 
g^„      r4&  Material:   shittim   or    acacia   wood, 

/<pP*^  J$$W\  overlaid  within  and  without  with  pure 

X2^-?. ^"  a- ■^g^%  g°ld.  with  a  moulding  of  gold.     There 


£^_  were  4  golden  rings,  o.t  at  ca.  upper 
corner,  through  wh.  poles  of  gilded 
acacia  wood  were  passed  when  it  was 
carried,  and  wh.  were  never  entirely 
removed,  but  drawn  out  so  far  as  to 
allow  the  A.  to  stand  against  the  back 
wall,  and  projecting  to  the  vail,  sepa- 
rating the  sanctuary  fr.  the  most  holy 
Abk  of  the  Covenant.  place   (Ex.  xxv.  15;  Nu.  iv.  6 ;   J   K. 

viii.  8  ;  2  Ch.  v.  9).  Mercy-seat  :  so  lid,  of  pure  gold,  was  called. 
Upon  it,  at  the  two  ends,  were  tv\  o  golden  cherubim,  stretching  out 
their  wings,  betw.  wh.  was  the  Shekinah— the  symbolical  presence 
of  the  Deity  (Ex.  xxv.  10-22,  xxxvii.  1-9).  Contents  :  the  tables 
of  the  law,  golden  pot  of  manna,  Aaron's  rod  (Heb.  ix.  4). 

II.  Bible  References  to  the  Ark.— Dimensions,  etc.  (Ex.  xxv. 
10-15,  xxxvii.  1-5).  Tables  of  testimony  alone  placed  in  (Ex.  xxv.  16,  21; 
1  K.  viii.  9  ;  2  Ch.  v.  10) ;  but  this  seems  to  imply  that  previously  some- 
thing else  had  been  there.  {Alford  on  Heb.  ix.  4).  Mercy-seat  (Ex.  xxv. 
21,  xxvi.  34)  put  in  Holy  of  holies  (xxvi.  33,  xl.  31;  Heb.  ix.  3,  4) ;  con- 
tents (Heb.  ix.  4,  cf.  Ex.  xvi.  33,  34;  Nu.  xvii.  10;  Deu.  xxxi.  26); 
anointed  (Ex.  xxx.  26) ;  covered  bef  removal  (Nu.  iv.  5,  6).  Called:  a.  of 
God  (1  S.  iii.  3) ;  a.  of  God's  strength  (2  Ch.  vi.  41;  Ps.  exxxii.  8) ;  a.  of 
covenant  of  the  Lord  (Nu.  x.  33) ;  a.  of  the  testimony  (Ex.  xxx.  6 ;  Nu.  vii. 
89).  It  was  a  symbol  of  presence  and  glory  of  God  (Nu.  xiv.  43,  44  ;  Jos. 
vii.  6  ;  1  S.  xiv.  18,  19  ;  Ps.  exxxii.  8) ;  the  glory  of  Israel  (1  S.  iv.  21,  22); 
was  holy  (2  Ch.  xxxv.  3);  its  resting-place  sanctified  (2  Ch.  viii.  11). 
Lord  inquired  of  bef.  (Jos.  vii.  6-9 ;  Jul.  xx.  27 ;  1  Ch.  xiii.  3) ;  carried 
by  priests  or  Levites  (Deu.  x.  8 ;  Jos.  iii.  14 ;  2  S.  xv.  24 ;  1  Ch.  xv.  2) 
bef.  Israel  in  journeys  (Nu.  x.  33  ;  Jos.  iii.  6),  sometimes  to  camp  in  war 
(1  S.  iv.  4,  5).  Profanation  of  punished  (Nu.  iv.  5,  15  ;  IS.  vi.  19  ;  1  Ch. 
xv.  13);  protection  of  rewarded  (1  Ch.  xiii.  14);  captured  by  Philistines 
(1  S.  iv.  11).  Miracles  connec.  with:  Jordan  divided  (Jos.  iv.  7);  Jericho 
taken  (vi.  6-20) ;  Dagon  fell  (1  S.  v.  1-4) ;  Philistines  plagued  (6-12) ;  its 
restoration  (1-18).  Subsequent  history  at  Kirjath-jeariin,  20  yrs.  (1  S.  vii. 
1,  2) ;  removed  to  house  of  Obed-edom  (2  S.  vi.  1-11) ;  a  tent  made  for  by 
David   (17;    1  Ch.  xv.  1);   brought  to  city  of  David   (2  S.  vi.  12-15; 

1  Ch.  xv.  25-28).     Brought  by  Solomon  into  the  temple  (1  K.  viii.  1-6)  ; 

2  Ch.  v.  2-9).  "The  ark  ought  always  to  have  remained  in  the  temple, 
but  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  was  removed  by  Manasseh  or  Amon, 
for  we  find  an  injunction  by  Josiah  to  restore  it  to  its  place  (2'Ch.  xxxv.. 
3).  In  the  sack  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar  it  doubtless  perished, 
and  the  Jewish  tradition  respecting  it  (preserved  2  Mac.  ii.  4,  5)  is  un- 
worthy of  credit.     It  was  not  in  the  second  temple ;  and  the  want  of  the 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACIIEK8.  149 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIG10X  [The  Ark. 

holy  ark  must  have  been  grief  to  those  who  remembered  the  first  house, 
ami  thought  of  Jebovah's  visible  presence  there  (Ezra  iii.  12,  13).  As  a 
kind  of  substitute  there  was  a  stone  basement  in  the  sanctuary,  three  fingers 
high,  on  which  the  high-priest  placed  the  censer  on  the  day  of  atonement." 
(T.B.K.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  The  ark  a  typo 

of  Christ  (Ps.  xl.  S  ;  Rev.  xi.  19) ;   (sec  also  Keach  on  the  Types;  C.  B.  0.  T., 
127).    2.  Ark  in  house  of  Obed-edom  (2  S.  vi.  1-11 ;  see  also  Br.  Edmond's 
Children's  Church  at  Home,  i.  250  ;  C.  B.  0.  T.,  127).     3.  Shekinah  on  the 
mercy-scat.     God's  throne  a  throne  of  grace.     4.  Walls  of  Jericho  fall 
before  the  ark;  so  in  presence  of  Christ  shall  every  trusted  defence  of 
idolatry  and  sin  ultimately  fall.     5.  The  ark  was  a  source  of  trouble  to 
the  Philistines,  who  understood  it  not,  nor  worshipped  the  true  God ;  so 
Christ,  and  religion,  and   religious  ordinances,  occasions   of   trouble  to 
the  ungodly — not  because  of  any  harm  in  the  things  of  God,  but  because 
their  hearts  are  not  right.     The  Bible  plagues  a  bad  man  who  will  not 
repent;  comforts  and  guides  those  who  "hope  in  His  mercy."     6.  Dagon 
fell  before  the  ark;  so  all  idols  and  enemies  of  truth  lick  the  dust.     7.  Jor- 
dan divided  in  the  presence  of  the  ark,  and  the  people  went  over  dry-shod. 
Christ  will  make  the  waters  of  the  cold  river  of  death  easily  passable  for  us. 
"  Jesus !  Redeemer !   we  look  to  Thee, — one  by  one, 
We  lift  up  our  voices  tremblingly, — one  by  one. 
The  waves  of  the  river  are  dark  and  cold ; 
We  know  not  the  spots  our  feet  may  hold. 
Thou,  who  didst  pass  through  in  deep  midnight, 
Strengthen  us,  send  us  the  staff  and  the  light, — one  by  one. 
Plant  Thou  Thy  feet  beside  as  we  tread, — one  by  one, 
On  Thee  let  us  lean  each  drooping  head, — one  by  one. 
Let  but  Thy  strong  arm  around  us  be  twined, 
We  shall  cast  all  our  fears  and  cares  to  the  wind. 
Saviour !  Redeemer  !  with  Thee  full  in  view, 
Smilingly,  gladsomely  shall  we  pass  through,— one  by  one." 

(Leslie.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Seek  to  have  the  true  Ark  in  the  house 
and  in  the  heart.  2.  His  presence  will  make  life  happy,  and  death  peace- 
ful and  glorious. 

"  So  o'er  this  mortal  scene 
Heavenward  let  us  still  follow  Christ,  our  Ark ; 
Nor  stand  dismayed,  though  Jordan  roll  between 

His  waters  deep  and  wide : 

For  while  with  trusting  heart 
We  look  to  Him,  our  Guardian  and  our  Guide, 
The  swelling  waters  of  that  flood  shall  part, 

And  more  and  more  subside. 

As  nearer  draws  the  hour 
That  sees  at  last  our  pilgrim-wanderings  cease, 
Its  terrors  more  and  more  shall  lose  their  power, 

Till  all  is  joy  and  peace." 

{Small) 


150  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Furniture  of  Tabernacle.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Levitieal 

I.    Descriptive.— [Brazen  Laver.]     One  of  the  vessels  of  the 
tabernacle,    used   to   hold  water  for  necessary  ablutions  of  priests 
during  their  ministrations.     Consisting  of  a  large  basin,  with  a  foot 
or  pedestal ;   it  was  constructed  of  the 
women's  mirrors  (which  were  made  of 
metal)   (Ex.  -xxx.     18-21,   xxxviii.    8; 
Ps.  xxvi.  7).     Its  place  was  in  the  court 
of  the  tabernacle,  betw.    the  tent   and 
the  altar  (xl.  30-32).     It  is  likely  that 
the  sacrifices  were  washed  in  this  laver. 
\_Laver,  a  utensil  to  wash  in:  Fr.  laver  ; 
Brazen  Lavee.  L.   lavo,  lavatum,  akin  to  Gk.  loud,  to 

wash,  hence  our  word  lavatory '.]  [Candlestick]  or  lamp  stand,  which, 
according  to  the  given  pattern,  Moses  was  to  have  made  for  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary  (Ex.  xxv.  31-40,  xxxvii.  17-24).  It  was 
made  of  pure  gold,  and,  with  its  belongings,  took  a  talent  of  gold 
(=  in  value  £5,475)  in  its  construction.  It  was  of  wrought  or 
beaten  work,  not  cast,  and  had  a  base  or  pedestal,  from  which  arose  a 
straight  shaft  having  six  branches,  i.  e.  three  on  each  side.  By  the 
summits  of  these  branches,  and  of  the  central  shaft,  seven  lamps  were 
suspended.  It  is  asserted  that  its  height  was  ab.  5  ft.,  and  the  dis- 
tance between  the  two  outside  lamps  ab.  3£  ft.  Its  place  was  the 
S.  side  of  the  holy  place,  opp.  the  table  of  shew-bread  (xxvi.  35, 
xl.  24).  Olive-oil  was  used  (xxvii.  20).  The  lamps  were  trimmed 
with  golden  snuffers  {tongs),  and  the  snuff  was  taken  away  in  golden 
dishes  (xxvii.  21,  xxx.  7,  8  ;  Lev.  xxiv.  3,  4  ;  1  S.  iii  3  ;  2  Ch.  xiii. 
11).  From  the  second  temple  the  c.  was  taken  away  by  Titus,  and 
exhibited  in  his  triumphal  procession.  It  is  represented,  prob.  with 
approximate  accuracy,  on  the  Arch  of  Titus  at  Rome.  Some  say  it 
was  taken  to  Carthage  by  Genseric,  A.D.  455,  to  have  been  recovered 
by  Belisarius,  and  at  length  placed  in  the  Christian  church  at  Jerusa- 
lem, A.D.  533.  Its  subsequent  fate  is  unknown.  [Table  of  Shew-bread,] 
or  lit.  "  bread  of  faces,"  "  bread  for  the  presence,"  so  called  because 
it  was  "  set  before  "  the  Lord  in  the  holy  place  (Ex.  xxv.  30).  In 
after-times  it  was  called  the  "bread  of  ordering,"  or  "arrangement" 
(1  Ch.  ix.  32,  marg. ;  Neh.  x.  33).  The  shew-b.  was  12  loaves,  one 
for  ea.  tribe,  and  was  placed  with  frankincense  on  ea.  row,  in  two 
rows,  fresh  ea.  Sabbath  ;  and  the  old  were  then  eaten  by  the  priests 
(Lev.  xxiv.  5-9  ;  1  S.  xxi.  2-6  ;  Mat.  xii.  3,  4).  This  bread  was 
put  on  a  table  of  shittim  (acacia)  wood,  plated  with  gold  (Ex.  xxv. 
23-30)  ;  its  place  was  in  the  sanctuary  (xxxix.  36  ;  Heb.  ix.  2).  On 
this  table  were,  besides  the  "  continual  bread,"  as  it  was  sometimes 
termed,  bowls  and  cups,  in  wh.  there  was,  prob.,  wine  for  libations 
(Ex.  xxv.  29,  30,  xxxvii.  10-16,  xl.  4,  22-24  ;  Lev.  ii.  13  ;  Nu.  iv.  7). 
[Altar  of  Incense]  of  wood,  overlaid  with  gold.  Its  top  surrounded 
with  golden  border,  called  a  crown.     It  was  carried  by  Levites,  by 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  151 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIGION.     [Furniture  of  Tabernacle. 

means  of  gilded  staves  passed  through  two  golden  rings  (Ex.  xxx. 
1-0).  Morning  and  evening  worship  was  commenced  by  h.-priest 
offering  incense  on  this  altar  (7-9;  Lu.  i.  10,  cf.  Ps.  cxli.  2;  Rev. 
viii.  4,  v.  8).  Its  place  was  in  the  middle  of  holy  place,  betw.  the 
table  of  shew-bread  and  the  candlestick.  [Altar  of  Burnt-offering] 
made  of  wood,  covered  with  brass,  and  having  hooks,  called  "  horns," 
at  ea.  corner,  wh.  were  sometimes  used  for  securing  the  victims 
(Ps.  cxviii.  27).  On  the  top  was  a  brass  grating,  through  which  the 
a -lies  passed.  It  was  carried  by  Levites,  by  means  of  poles  passed 
through  brazen  rings.  As  steps  were  forbidden  (Ex.  xx.  26),  there 
was  prob.  an  embankn.ent  of  earth  (Lev.  ix.  22).     See  Sacrifices. 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [Laver]   ill.  Christ 

the  fount,  for  sin  (Zee.  xiii.  1  ;  Rev.  i.  5).  Regeneration  (Tit.  hi.  5,  cf. 
Eph.  v.  2(3).  It  was  made  of  mirrors.  Many  who  feed  their  vanity  at  their 
mirrors  have  need  to  abandon  them  for  Christ.  Mirror  shows  the  outer 
form  ;  Christ  shows  the  state  of  the  inner  man.  Men  should  he  anxious 
that  their  souls  should  he  worthy  of  God's  favour,  who  are  now  content 
if  their  bodies,  decked  in  fashionable  attire,  secure  human  applause. 
[Candlestick]  ill.  Christ  (Zee.  iv.  2;  Jo.  viii.  12;  Heb.  ix.  2).  The 
Church  (Rev.  i.  13.  20)  ministers  (Mat.  v.  14-1G) ;  hut  they  can  he  only 
burning  and  shining  as  the  oil  of  Divine  grace  is  poured  into  their 
hearts.  They  have  no  light  of  their  own,  but  need  illuminating  As  the 
c.  was  placed  in  the  holy  place,  so  the  place  of  the  minister  is  the  house 
of  Cod,  where  he  is  to  receive  and  give  light.  [Shew-bread]  ill.  Christ, 
the  bread  of  life  (Jo.  vi.  48).  David,  when  he  was  a  hungered,  ate  of  it ; 
hungry  souls  may  feed  upon  Christ.  III.  the  Church  (L  Cor.  v.  7,  x.  17) ; 
made  of  finest  flour.  Church  a  peculiar  people,  elect  and  precious.  Several 
loaves,  yet  one  kind  of  flour,  and  all  before  the  Lord  ;  so  the  Church, 
many  sections,  yet  of  one  faith,  etc.  [Altar  of  Burnt-offering]  type 
of  Christ  (Heb.  xiii.  10).  [Altar  of  Incense]  ibid.  (Rev.  viii.  3,  ix.  13). 
"  Jewish  writers  have  said  that  the  incense  was  to  counteract  the  unpleasant 
smell  wh.  might  arise  fr.  the  carcases  of  victims.  But  it  had  a  higher 
purpose.  The  psalmist  (Ps.  cxli.  2)  indicates  this,  his  words  implying 
that  prayer  was  in  reality  what  incense  was  in  the  symbol.  And  Dr. 
Fairbairn  well  remarks,  on  the  natural  connection  of  the  two,  that  the  odours 
of  plants  and  flowers  are  the  sweet  breath  wh.,  so  to  speak,  they  exhale, 
while  praver  can  hardly  'be  more  suitablv  regarded  than  as  the  breath 
of  the  Divine  life  in  the  soul.'  "  (Ti/p.  of  Scrip.,  ii.  320,  321.)  (2'.  B.  K.) 
"  Prayer  is  the  Christian's  vital  breath, 

The  Christian's  native  air  ; 
His  watchword  at  the  gates  of  death  : 

He  enters  heaven  with  prayer." 

III.  Practical  Hints.— Though  freed  from  the  much  form,  etc.,  of 
the  old  time,  we  are  not  liberated  from  decency  and  order  in  Divine 
worship.  No  altar  of  incense,  yet  what  it  symbolized  should  mark  our 
coming  before  God.  Let  the  laver  remind  us  of  the  need  of  a  clean  heart. 
Even  the  sacrifices  were  washed  therein :  our  best  doings  need  to  be  cleansed 
from  evil  motives,  etc. 


152  TOPICS    FOK    TEACHERS. 

Festivals-]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Levitical 

I.  The  great  yearly  Feasts  were  3  in  number.  Times  when 
the  males  were  to  app.  bcf.  the  Lord  :  i.e.  at  the  tabernacle  or  temple 
(Ex.  xxiii.  14-17,  xxxiv.  18-24;  Deu.  xvi.  1-17).  The  wives  went 
sometimes  with  their  husbands  (1  S.  i.  7, 
21-23,  ii.  19;  Lu.  ii.  41).  [Passover]  of 
Divine  institution  (Ex.  xii.  1,  2).  Began 
14th  of  1st  mo.  at  even.  (2,  16,  18;  Lev. 
xxiii.  5  ;  Nu.  ix.  3);  lasted  7  days  (Ex.  xii. 
15;  Lev.  xxiii.  6).  Called:  Passo*  er  (Nu.  ix. 
5  ;  Jo.  ii.  23) ;  Jews'  P.  (13,  xi.  35) ;  Lord's 
P.  (Ex.  xii.  11,  27);  feast  of  unleavened 
bread  (Mk.  xiv.  1;  Lu.  xxii.  1);  days  of 
unleavened  bread  (Ac.  xii.  3,  xx.  6). 
Paschal  lamb  eaten  1st  day  (Ex.  xii.  6,  8), 
and  unleavened  bread  (15;  Deu.  xvi.  3). 
Laws  relating  to  leaven  (Ex.  xii.  15-20, 
xiii.  7  ;  Deu.  xvi.  4).  Convocations  on  first 
and  last  days  (Ex.  xii.  16  ;  Nu.  xxviii.  18, 
25).  Sacrifices  during  (19-24  ;  Lev.  xxiii.  8) ;  after  Sabbath  in,  first- 
fruit  of  barley  harvest  offered  (10-14).  Commemorative  of:  Passing 
over  firstborn  (Ex.  xii.  12,  13);  deliverance  fr.  Egypt  (17,  42,  xiii. 
9  ;  Deu.  xvi.  3).  Perpetual  observance  (Ex.  xii.  14,  xiii.  10);  children 
taught  its  nature  (Ex.  xii.  26,  27,  xiii.  8 ;  Deu.  vi.  20-25) ;  purifica- 
tion needful  (2  Ch.  xxx.  15-19  ;  Jo.  xi.  55) ;  unclean  kept  it  the  2nd 
mo.  (Nu.  ix.  6-11;  2  Ch.  xxx.  2,  3,  15);  uncircumcised  excluded 
(Ex.  xii.  43,  45) ;  punishment  for  neglect  (Nu.  ix.  13),  or  improper 
keeping  of  (2  Ch.  xxx.  18,  20).  Noted  occasions:  As  the  exodus  (Ex. 
xii.  28,  50);  in  the  wilderness  (Nu.  ix.  3-5)  ;  entering;  Canaan  (Jos.  v. 

10,  11);  reign  of  Hezekiah  (2  Ch.  xxx.  1),  of  Josiah  (2  K.  xxiii.  22; 
2  Ch.  xxxv.  1,  18).  Moses  kept  through  faith  (Heb.  xi.  28) ;  Christ 
observed  (Mat.  xxvi.  17-20;  Lu.  xxii.  15;  Jo.  ii.  13,  23);  room  lent 
to  strangers  (Lu.  xxii.  11,  12);  Lord's  Supper  instituted  at  (Mat. 
xxvi.  26-28);  a  prisoner  released  at  (Mat.  xxvii.  15;  Lu.  xxiii.  16, 
17);  Sabbath  in,  a  high  day  (Jo.  xix.  14,31).  [Pentecost.]  Time: 
50th  dy.  aft.  offering  1st  sheaf  of  barley  harvest  (Lev.  xxiii.  15,  16  ; 
Deu.  xvi.  9).  Called:  Feast  of  harvest  (Ex.  xxiii.  16);  of  weeks 
(xxxiv.  22;  Deu.  xvi.  10);  day  of  first-fruits  (Nu.  xxviii.  26),  of 
Pentecost  (Ac.  ii.  1);  perpetual  observance  (Lev.  xxiii.  21)  ;  holy  con- 
vocation (Lev.  xxiii.  21 ;  Nu.  xxviii.  26) ;  time  of  holy  joy  (Deu.  xvi. 

11,  12).  First-fruits  of  bread  presented  at  (10;  Lev.  xxiii.  17);  sacri- 
fices (18, 19;  Nu.  xxviii.  27-31).  Law  given  upon  (Ex.  xix.  1,  11.  cf. 
xii.  6,  8) ;  Holy  Ghost  given  to  apostles  at  (Ac.  ii.  1-3)  ;  observed  by 
early  Church  (Ac.  xx.  16;  1  Cor.  xvi.  8).  [Tabernacles.]  Time:  aft. 
harvest  and  vintage  (Deu.  xvi.  13);  began  15th  of  7th  mo.  (Lev.  xxiii. 
34,  39) ;  lasted  7  days  (34,  41;  Deu.  xvi.)  Called:  Feast  of  ingather- 
ing (Ex.  xxxiv.  22).    Convocation  first  and  last  days  (Lev.  xxiii.  35, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  153 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Festivals. 

39  ;  Nu.  xxix.  12,  35) ;  sacrifices  (Lev.  xxiii.  36,  37;  Nu.xxix.  13-39); 
perpetual  observance  (Lev.  xxiii.  41),  with  joy  (l)eu.  xvi.  14,  15); 
people  dwelt  in  booths  during  (Lev.  xxiii.  42;  Neh.  viii.  15,  10). 
Law  read  every  7th  yr.  at  (Deu.  xxxi.  10-12  ;  Neh.  viii.  18). 

II.  Lesser  Festivals  [New  Moon]  first  dy.  of  mo.  (Nu.  x.  10);  trum- 
pets blown  (x.  10  ;  Ps.  lxxxi.  3,  4) ;  sacrifices  (Nu.  xxviii.  11-15)  ;  time  of 
inquiry  ('2  K.  iv.  23) ;  worship  (Is.  lxvi.  23  ;  Ez.  xlvi.  1) ;  festivity  (1  S.  xx. 
5,  IS) ;  how  observed  (1  Ch.  xxiii.  31  ;  2  Ch.  ii.  4,  viii.  13,  xxxi.  3)  ;  aft. 
captivity,  restored  (Ezra  hi.  5;  Neh.  x.  33);  formality  at,  hateful  (Is.  i. 
13,  14) ;  disliked  by  wicked  (Am.  viii.  5) ;  how  lost  (Hos.  ii.  11).  Chris- 
tian observance  condemned  (Col.  ii.  16,  cf.  Gal.  iv.  10).  [Trumpets]  1st 
dy.  of  7th  mo.  (Lev.  xxiii.  24 ;  Nu.  xxix.  1) ;  a  memorial  (Lev.  xxiii.  24) ; 
holy  convocation  and  rest  (24,  25) ;  sacrifices  (Nu.  xxix.  2-6).  [Purim] 
founded  by  Mordecai,  q.'v.  (Est.  ix.  20)  ;  why?  (hi.  7-15,  cf.  ix.  24-26) ; 
began  14th  day  of  12th  mo.  (ix.  17),  lasted  2  days  (21) ;  mode  (ix.  17-19, 
22);  obligation  of  Jews  to  keep  (27,  28)  royally  confirmed  (29-32). 
[Dedication]  to  C1  -mmem.  cleansing  of  temple  aft.  defilement  by  Antiochus 
(Dan.  xi.  31) ;  held  inm.  Chisleu  (Jo.  x.  22).  [Sabbatical  Year]  Sabbath 
for  land  (Lev.  xxv.  2)  every  7th  yr.  (4;  Ex.  xxiii.  11) ;  provided  for  by 
surplus  of  6th  yr.  (Lev.  xxv.  20-22).  Laws  respecting  (4-7 ;  Ex.  xxi.  2, 
xxiii.  11;  Deu.  xv.  1-3,  12,  xxxi.  10-13  ;  Neh.  x.  31);  strangers  notreleased 
(Deu.  xv.  3)  ;  benevolence  not  to  be  hindered  by  release  (9-11) ;  neglect 
(Lev.  xxvi.  34,  35,  43;  Jer.  xxxiv.  13-18;  2  Ch.  xxxvi.  20,  21)  aft.  cap- 
tivity (Neh.  x.  31).  [Jubilee]  every  50th  yr.  (Lev.  xxv.  8,  10);  began  day 
of  atonement  (Lev.  xxv.  9).  Called:  yr.  of  liberty  (Ez.  xlvi.  17) ;  yr.  of 
redeemed  (Is.  lxiii.  4);  acceptable  yr.  (Is.  lxi.  2) ;  specially  holy  (Lev.  xxv. 
12).     Laws  (Lev.  xxv.  10-,  xxvii.  14-23). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  Apart  fr.  the  re- 
ligious aspect  of  these  various  festivals,  and  the  occasions  they  provided 
for  solemn  worship,  they  were  of  national  value  as  binding  the  tribes 
together,  bringing  them  into  fellowship,  knitting  the  several  communities 
into  one  body,  having  each  a  share  in  and  a  tie  to  that  place  which  the 
Lord  had  chosen  to  put  His  name  there.  Jerusalem  with  its  temple  was 
not  merely  the  political  capital,  but  the  religious  home  of  the  nation.  And 
so  Jeroboam  felt  when  he  devised  his  festivals  to  keep  his  subjects  fr. 
resorting  to  the  city  of  David  (1  K.  xii.  26-33)."— (T.B.  K.)  F.  of  Jubilee 
ill.  of  the  Gospel  (Is.  lxi.  1,  2 ;  Lu.  iv.  18, 19).— F.  of  Passover,  ill.  of  re- 
demption through  Christ  (1  Cor.  v.  7,  8). — The  Festivals  ill.  the  general 
assembly  of  the  Church  (Heb.  xii.  23).  (For  general  effect  of  Jewish  feasts, 
see  C.I).  O.T.,  134,  135.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Admire  the  wisdom  of  God  in  making 
this  provision  for  the  political,  sanitary,  moral,  and  religious  welfare  of 
His  people.  2.  Folly  of  disobeying  the  law  of  God.  The  neglect  of  these 
f.  proclaimed  the  downfall  of  the  nation.  3.  Though  freed  fr.  these 
Jewish  f.,  we  are  under  an  obligation  to  observe  Christian  ordinances. 
This,  not  only  because  of  the  will  of  God,  but  a  moral  necessit}'  for  us. 
Neglect  of  Sabbath,  etc.,  will  soon  discover  itself  in  our  life  and  character. 
4.  The  salvation  of  the  soul  the  great  matter  to  be  sought  in  Christian 
ordinances. 


154  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Sacrifices.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  (Levitical 

I.  Description.— See  Primitive  Sacrifice,  p.  138.  Institution  : 
Dmne  (Ge.  iii.  21,  cf.  i.  29,  ix.  3,  iv.  4,  5,  cf.  Heb.  xi.  4).  Object :  to 
God  alone  (Ex.  xxii.  20;  Jud.  xiii.  16;  2  K.  xvii.  36);  as  an 
-  acknowledgment   of  His   supremacy 

£?/f^         (v- 17^ Jon- *■ 16)> and  °f  sin  (Heb- 

x.  3).  Consisted  cf :  animals  (Ge.  viii. 
20) ;  fruits  (iv.  4;  Lev.  ii.  1)  ;  always 
off.  on  altars  (Ex.  xx.  24).  Historical  : 
In  early  ages  (Ge.  v.  3,  4),  by  patri- 
archs (xxii  2,  13,  xxxi.  54,  xlvi.  1  ; 
Job  i.  5)  ;  after  exodus  (Ex.  v.  3,  1 7, 
xviii.  12,  xxiv.  5);  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tion (Lev.  i.-vii;  Heb.  x.  1-3);  daily, 
Ai.tak  of  Sacrifice.  ,±,  .  '  ..  '  •,, 

q.v.  (Ex.  xxix.  08,  39  ;  Nu.  xxxvm.  3, 

4);  weekly  (Nu.  xxviii.  9,  10);  monthly  (11);  vearlv  (Lev.  xvi.  3; 
1  5.  i.  3,  21,  xx.  6) ;  at  all  the  feasts  (Nu.  x.  10).  Offerers  for  the 
ration  (Lev.  xvi.  15,  16;  1  Ch.  xxix.  21);  individuals  (Lev.  i.  2, 
xvii.  8),  in  faith  (Heb.  xi.  4,  17,  iS).  Essentials :  without  blemish 
(her.  xxii.  19;  Deu.  xv.  21,  xvii.  1;  Mai.  i.  8,  14);  best  of  kind 
(Ge.  iv.  4;   1  S.  xv.  22;  Ps.  lxvi.  15;  Isa.  i.  11).    Kinds :  burnt-off. 

SLev.  i. ;  1  K.  xviii.  38);  sin-off.  (Lev.  iv.)  ;  trespass-off.  (Lev.  vi. 
-7,  vii.  1-7);  peaee-off.  (Lev.  iii.)  Reyiilations :  appointed  place 
(Deu.  xii.  6;  2  Ch.  vii.  12)  ;  bound  (Ps.'cxviii.  27);  suited  (Lev.  ii. 
13;  Mk.  ix.  49);  sometimes  burnt  with  fire  fr.  heaven  (Lev.  ix.  24; 
I  K.  xviii.  38;  2  Ch.  vii.  1).  Rules  for  meat  and  drink  off.  (Nu.  xv. 
3-12) ;  for  leaven  (Ex  xxiii  18,  cf.  Lev.  vii.  13) ;  for  fat  (Ex.  xxiii. 
8).  Priests  app.  to  off.  (2  S.  ii.  28 ;  Ez.  xliv.  11, 15 ;  Heb.  v.  1,  viii. 
3) ;  had  a  portion  of  (Ex  xxix.  27,  28  ;  Deu.  xviii.  3 ;  Jos.  xiii.  14  ; 
1  Cor.  ix.  13).  Features  of  S.:  typical  of  Christ's  (1  Cor.  v.  7 ;  Ep.  v. 
2;  Heb.  x.  1,  11,  12);  sincerity  needful  (Ge.  iv.  4,  cf.  Heb.  xi.  4; 
Ge.  viii.  21);  secured  legal  purification  (Heb.  ix.  13,  22);  did  not 
take  awav  sin  (Ps.  xl.  6;  Heb.  ix.  9,  x.  1-11);  v^ortliless  without 
obedience*  (1  S.  xv.  22 ;  Pr.  xxi.  3  ;  Mk.  xii.  33) ;  confirmed  the 
covenants  (Ge.  xv.  9-17  ;  Ex.  xxiv.  5-8,  cf.  Heb.  ix.  19,  20  ;  Ps.  1.  5)  ; 
needful,  hence  need  of  respecting  (1  S.  ii.  29;  Mai.  i.  12);  being 
without  blemish  (13,  14) ;  being  off.  (Is.  xliii.  23,  24) ;  when  not 
accepted  (Isa.  i.  11,  15,  lxvi.  3;  Hos.  viii.  13);  not  to  be  off.  to  idols 
(2  Ch.  xxxiv.  25 ;  Is.  lxv.  3,  7  ;  Ez.  xx.  28,  31 ).  Customs:  8.  numerous 
on  great  occasions  (2  Ch.  v.  6,  vii  5) ;  provided  by  state  for  public 
use  (xxxi.  3).  [Daily  Sacrifices]  ordination  of  (Nu.  xxviii.  6); 
nature  of  (Ex.  xxix.  38,  39;  Nu.  xxviii.  3,  4);  doubled  on  Sab- 
bath (9,  10).  Laws  of:  with  meat  and  drink  off.  (Ex  xxix.  4  ;  Nu. 
xxviii.  5-8);  all  to  be  consumed  (Lev.  vi.  9-12);  perpetual  observance 
(Ex.  xxix.  42  ;  Nu.  xxviii.  3,  6).  Features  :  acceptable  (Nu.  xxviii. 
8;  Ps.  cxli.  2)  ;  secured  Divine  favour  (Ex.  xxix.  13.  44);  off.  with 
prayer  (Ezra  ix.  5  ;  Dan.  ix.  20,  21,  cf.  Ac.  iii.  1);  aft.  captivity 
(Ezr.  iii.  3),  prophecy  of  abolition  (Dan.  ix.  26,  27,  xi.  31). 


TOriCS    FOE    TEACH  ER8.  155 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIGIOX.  [Sacrifices. 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [Daily  Sacrifices] 
ill.  Christ  (Jo.  i.  29,  36  ;  1  Pet.  i.  19) ;  acceptable  prayer  (Ps.  cxli.  2) . 
[Sacrifices.]  Martyrdom  (Phi.  ii.  7  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  6) ;  broken  spirit  (Ps.  li. 
17) ;  righteousness  (l's.  iv.  5,  li.  19);  benevolence  (Phi.  iv.  18;  Hub.  xiii. 
16);  devotedness  (Rom.  xii.  1;  Phi.  ii.  17);  thanksgiving  (Ps.  xxvii.  6, 
cvii.  22,  cxvi.  17;  Heb.  xiii.  L5);  prayer  (Ps.  cxli.  2).  Christ,  the  great 
sin-offering,  does  for  us  what  the  legal  sacrifice  could  not  do  (Ps.  si.  6  ; 
Heb.  ix.  9,  x.  1-11). 

"  Behold  the  temple, 

In  undisturbed  and  lone  serenity, 

Finding  itself  a  solemn  sanctuary 

In  the  profound  of  heaven  !     It  stands  before  US 

A  mount  of  snow  fretted  with  golden  pinnacles  ! 

The  very  sun,  as  though  he  worshipped  there, 

Lingers  upon  the  gilded  cedar  roofs ; 

And  down  the  long  and  branching  porticoes, 

On  every  flowery-sculptured  oapitol, 

Glitters  the  homage  of  his  parting  beams."  (Mihnan.) 
"Certainly  in  the  Mosaic  ritual  sacrifice  was  understood  to  be  a  pro- 
pitiation— not  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats  had  power  to  cleanse  the 
conscience,  but  rather  because  in  this  appointed  mode  of  worship  the 
offerer  acknowledged  his  guilt  as  deserving  of  death,  and  appealed  to  the 
Lord's  mercy ;  and,  above  all,  because  in  these  sacrifices,  as  types,  there 
was  a  purposed  foreshadowing  of  the  great  effectual  sacrifice  to  be  made 
by  the  incarnate  Son  of  God  for  the  sins  of  mankind.  The  sacrifices  of  the 
law  did  away  with  ceremonial  pollution;  they  sanctified  to  the  purifying  of 
the  flesh.  The  blood  of  Christ  was  the  true  propitiation  for  the  guilt  of 
the  world  (Heb.  ix.  13-15).  He  was  at  once  the  Priest,  the  Offerer,  and 
the  Victim.  And  in  this  view  the  acceptance  of  Abel's  offering  is  better 
understood.  He  brought  a  victim,  a  sacrifice  for  sin  ;  Cain  brought  a 
thank-offering,  as  if  already  in  a  condition  of  righteousness  before  God." 
(T.  B.  K.)  Mic.  vi.  7. — The  people  of  Florida  were  guilt}-  of  this  practice. 
The  ceremony  was  performed  in  the  presence  of  one  of  their  princes  or 
Caciques,  called  Paraconists.  The  victim  was  always  a  male  child.  The 
mother  covered  her  face,  weeping  and  groaning  over  the  stone  against 
which  the  child  is  to  be  dashed  in  pieces ;  the  women  who  accompanied 
her  sung  and  danced  in  a  circle,,  while  another  woman  stood  up  in  the 
middle  of  the  ring  holding  the  child  in  her  arms,  and  showed  it  at  a  dis- 
tance to  the  Paraconist,  who  probably  was  esteemed  a  representative  of 
the  sun,  or  deity  to  which  the  victim  was  offered,  after  which  the  sacrifice 
was  made.  The  Peruvians  of  quality,  says  More,  and  those  too  of  meaner 
sort,  would  sacrifice  their  first-born  to  redeem  their  own  life,  when  the 
priest  pronounced  that  they  were  mortally  sick. 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  By  the  great  offering  of  Jesus  we  are 
delivered  from  a  yoke  that  our  fathers  were  hardly  able  to  bear.  2.  Re- 
joice in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  made  us  free  (Gal.  v.  1).  3.  The 
old  sacrifice  nothing  without  faith;  and  our  faith  is  needful,  that  Christ's 
offering  of  Himself  once  lor  all  may  be  effectual  for  us.  4.  Christ  died  lor 
us.  Do  we  believe  this  with  our  hearts  unto  righteousness  ?  5.  We  can 
make  no  atonement  for  our  guilt  ;  henceforth  there  remaineth  no  more 
sacrifice  for  sin.     6.  He  bore  our  sins  in  His  own  body  on  the  tree. 


15G 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


The  First  Temple.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Levitical 


Building  the  Temple. 


I.  Bible  References  to.^~Site :  Mt.  Moriah,  threshing-floor  of 
Oman  or  Araunah  (1  Ch  xxi.  28-30,  cf.  xxii. ;  2  Ch.  iii.  1).  Origin  : 
David  wishes  to  build  (2  S.  vii.  2 ;  1  Ch.  xxii.  7,  xxix.  3  ;  Ps.  cxxxii. 

2-5)  ;  rejected,  as  a  man  of 
war  (2  S.  vii.  5-9,  cf.  1  K. 
v.  3  ;  1  Ch.  xxii;  8)  ; 
prophet  indicates  Solo- 
mon (2  S.  vii.  12,  13 ; 
1  Ch.  xvii.  12)  ;  prepara- 
tions (xxii.  2-5,  xxix.  2-5); 
Solomon  is  charged  (xxii. 
6,  7, 11);  prayed  for  (xxix. 
19)  ;  princes  charged  to 
aid  (xxii.  17-19)  ;  people 
assist  (xxix.  6-7).  Solomon 
resolves  to  build  (2  Ch.  ii. 
1);  is  speciallv  instructed  (iii.  3);  employed  strangers  (2  Ch  ii.  2, 
17,  18,  cf.  1  K.  v.  15),  and  30,000  Israelites  (13-14)  ;  applied  to 
Hiram  for  architect  (2  Ch.  ii.  7,  13,  14)  ;  contracts  with  him  for 
material  (1  K.  v.  6-12;  2  Ch.  ii.  8-10);  commencement,  date  of 
(1  K.  vi.  1,  37  ;  2  Ch.  iii.  2)  ;  built  without  noise  of  hammers,  etc., 
(1  K.  vi.  7).  Divisions  :  Sanctuary  (2  Ch.  iii.  5) ;  oracle  (1  K.  vi. 
19) ;  porch  (2  Ch.  iii.  6).  Description  :  Surrounded  with  3  stories 
of  chambers  (1  K.  vi.  5,  6,  8,  10)  ;  with  courts  (36;  2  Ch.  iv.  9); 
size  (1  K.  vi.  2;  2  Ch.  iii.  3)  ;  windows  (1  K.  vi.  4)  ;  roof  (9); 
sanctuary  size  (17);  doors  (33-35;  2  Ch.  iii.  7);  oracle  size  (1  K. 
vi.  16,  20);  cherubims  (23-28;  2  Ch.  iii.  11-13)  ;  partition  (1  K.  vi. 
21)  ;  doors  (31,  32)  ;  vail  (2  Ch.  iii.  14)  ;  floor  and  walls  (1  K.  vi. 
15-18)  ;  ceiling  (2  Ch.  iii.  5) ;  gilded  inside  and  out  (1  ;  1  L  vi. 
21,  22)  ;  gemmed  (2  Ch.  iii.  6)  ;  porch  size  (1  K.  vi.  3  ;  2  Ch.  iii.  4)  ; 
pillars  (1  K.  vii.  15-22  ;  2  Ch.  iii.  15-17).  Whole  Temple:  splendour 
(2  Ch.  ii.  5-9);  time  to  build  (1  K.  vi.  38)  ;  finished  (38).  Called: 
House  of  Lord  (2  Ch.  xxiii.  5-1 2) ;  mountain  of  Lord's  house 
(Is.  ii.  2) ;  house  of  God  of  Jacob  (3) ;  Zion  (Ps.  lxxxiv.  1-7)  ;  Mt. 
Zion  (lxxiv.  2).  Purpose:  for  sacrifice  (2  Ch.  vii.  12);  prayer 
(Is.  lvi.  7,  cf.  Mat.  xxi.  13).  Characteristics:  God  dwelt  in 
(1  K.  vi.  12,  13)  ;  holy  things  placed  in  (2  Ch.  v.  1) ;  ark  of  God 
brought  to  (v.  2-10  ;  IK.  viii.  1-9)  ;  filled  with  cloud  (10,  11  ;  2  Ch. 
v.  13,  vii.  2) ;  dedicated  (vi. ;  1  K.  viii.  12-66) ;  sacred  fire  sent  (2  Ch. 
vii.  3)  ;  built  with  hands  (Ac.  vii.  47,  48)  ;  destruction  predicted 
(Jer.  xxvi.  18,  cf.  Mic.  iii.  12). 

II.  Chief  Historical  Events.— Sacked  by  Shishak  (1  K.  xiv. 
25,  26;  2  Ch.  xii.  9)  ;  repaired  by  Jehoash  (2  Iv.  xii.  4-14;  2  Ch. 
xxiv.  4-13),  who  aftwds.  gave  treasures  of  to  Syrians  (2  K.  xii.  17, 18). 
Ahaz  gives  them  another'time  to  k.  of  Assyria  (xvi.  14-18;  2  Ch. 
xxviii.  20,21).  "Worship  rest,  by  Hezekiah  (xxix.  3  35),  who  aftwds. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACIIERS.  157 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [The  First  Temple. 

gave  treasures  to  Assyrians  (2  K.  xviii.  13-16).  Defiled  by  Manasseh 
(xxi  4-7  ;  2  Ch.  xxxiii.  4,  o,  7);  repaired  by  Josiah  (xxxiv.  8-13; 
2  K.  xxii.  3-7)  ;  purified  by  Josiah  (2  K.  xxiii.  4-7,  11,  12)  ;  burned 
by  the  Babylonians  (2  K.  xxv.  9,  13-17  ;  2  Ch.  xxvi.  18,  19). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious   Suggestions.— The  Temple   ill. 

Christ  (Jo.  ii.  19,  21)  ;  the  bodies  of  glorified  saints  (1  Cor.  vi.  19  ;  2  Cor. 
v.  1).  The  spiritual  Church  (1  Cor.  iii.  16  ;  2  Cor.  vi.  16  ;  Ep.  ii.  20-22) 
grows  silently,  as  the  Temple  did.  The  Palestine  Exploration  workpeople 
have  discovered  many  interesting  relics  of  the  old  Jerusalem,  and  many 
of  them  have  (1869)  been  shown  to  the  public  in  the  Dudley  Gallery  of 
the  Egyptian  Hall,  Piccadilly,  London.  "The  bottom  of  the  Birket  lsrail, 
or  Pool  of  Bethesda,  also  contributes  to  the  collection,  as  well  as  the  wall 
of  Ophel  and  the  Tyropceum  valley ;  and  at  the  foot  of  the  S.E.  angle  of 
the  Great  Rampart,  which  now  sustains  the  mosques  of  Omar  and  Aksa, 
have  been  unveiled  stones  bearing  letters  incised  with  a  chisel,  or  painted 
in  red.  These  have  been  studied  by  Mr.  Deutsch,  and  declared  to  be  the 
construction  marks  of  the  Phoenician  masons  who  built  the  Temple.  The 
facsimiles  of  them,  thus  far  brought  home,  are  very  much  like  the  first 
attempts  of  a  small  boy  to  make  figures  upon  his  slate  ;  but  they  are 
assuredly  of  immense  antiquity,  and  no  doubt  they  represent,  as  is  stated, 
the  actual  memoranda  of  the  stone-layers  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  '  who  took 
the  contract '  from  Solomon  the  king  to  build  his  temple."  Among  the 
numerous  monumental  portraitures  of  the  building  art  found  on  the  walls 
of  the  Egyptian  sepulchres  are  some  wh.  explain  1  K.  vi.  7.  This  previous 
squaring  and  preparation  of  stones  is  often  represented  :  the  blocks  are 
shown  accurately  measured  under  the  superintendence  of  the  principal 
architect,  the  shape  into  wh.  it  is  intended  that  they  should  be  cut  being 
marked  on  the  stone  with  a  dark  line,  so  as  to  form  an  accurate  guide  to 
the  stone-cutter.  When  the  block  was  finished,  it  received  a  mark  or 
number  which  pointed  out  the  place  it  was  to  occupy  in  the  building. 
Hence,  says  Helter, — 

"  No  workman's  steel,  no  ponderous  axes  rung : 
Like  some  tall  palm  the  noiseless  fabric  sprung." 

"  Much  of  it  (the  stone)  would  seem  to  have  been  quarried  under  Jeru- 
salem ;  and  excavations  have  been  discovered  where  stone  was  obtained 
and  wrought,  the  traces  of  the  workmen's  tools  being  still  visible."  See 
Buchanan's  Notes  of  a  Cler.  Furlough,  196,  197.  The  Temple  much  moro 
glorious  than  the  Tabernacle,  so  also  our  eternal  mansion  than  our  earthly 
dwelling. 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  God's  hatred  of  sin,  because  of  which 
not  even  His  own  dwelling  should  be  spared.  2.  The  Tabernacle  pre- 
paratory to  the  Temple  ;  this  but  the  introduction  to  our  better  house. 
3,  The  Tabernacle  suited  to  a  wandering  life  ;  the  Temple  suited  to  per- 
manent and  settled  life  :  our  body  suited  to  this  life  ;  our  heavenly  home 
to  the  future  life.  4.  The  training  of  the  Tabernacle  needful  to  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Temple  ;  the  training  of  earth  needful  to  the  higher  worship  of 
heaven.  5.  The  Temple  a  place  of  sacrifice  and  prayer.  No  temple  in 
heaven.  Sacrifices  not  needed  in  that  holy  place  ;  nor  prayer,  where  all 
jvill  be  praise. 

Vol.  II.— 11 


158 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


The  Second  Temple. 


TRUE  RELIOlOy 


[Levitical 


Golden  Candlestick. 


I.  Bible  References  to.— Situation  :  Site  of  first  t.  (Ezr.  ii.  6). 
Cyrus's  prediction  concerning  (Is  xliv.  28) ;  gives  a  decree  (Ezr.  i. 
1,  2,  vi.  3) ;  lets  the  Jews  go  (i.  3) ;  supplied  means  (iv.  4) ;  ordered 

Jews  of  Babylon  to  help  (i.  4) ;  gave 
vessels  of  first  t.  (i.  7-11,  vi.  5.)  Com- 
mencement: Worship  begun  first  (iii. 
i-6).  Materials  fr.  Tyre  and  Sidon  (7) ; 
time  of  founding  (8-1 1).  Size  (vi.  3,  4) ; 
feeling  of  the  people  (Ezr.  iii.  12,  13  ; 
Hag.  ii.  3).  Samaritans  offer  to  aid 
(Ezr.  iv.  1,2);  declined  (3) ;  oppose  the 
work  (4,  5);  wrote  to  Artaxerxes  (6-16); 
work  checked  15  yrs.  (24)  ;  Jews  re- 
proved (Hag.  i.  1-5);  punished  (6,  9-1 1, 
ii.  15,  17;  Zee.  viii.  10);  encouraged 
(Hag.  i.  8,  ii.  19;  Zee.  viii.  9);  work 
taken  up  by  Zerubbabel  and  Jeshua 
(Ezr.  v.  2) ;  encouraging  prediction 
(Zee.  iv.  4-10) ;  prophecy  of  future 
glory  (Hag.  ii.  7-9).  Darius  written  to 
(Ezr.  v.  3-17) ;  his  reply  (vi.  1,  2,  6-12) ; 
completion  (Ezr.  vi.  15) ;  dedication 
(16-18).  Repaired  by  Herod  (Jo.  ii.  20);  splendour  (Jo.  ii.  20;  Mk. 
xiii.  1;  Lu.  xxi.  5) ;' Beautiful  gate  (Ac.  xiii.  2);  Solomon's  poich 
(Jo.  x.  23  ;  Ac.  iii.  11).  Christ  :  His  appearance  in  predicted  (Hag. 
ii.  7,  cf.  Mai.  iii.  1);  presented  in  (Lu.  ii.  22-27);  transported  to 
pinnacle  of  (Mat.  iv.  5  ;  Lu.  iv.  9)  ;  taught  in  (Mk.  xiv.  49);  purified 
(Jo.  ii.  15-17);  again  (Mat.  xxi.  12,  13)  foretold  its  destr.  (Mat.  xxiv. 
2  ;  Mk.  xiii.  2  ;  Lu.  xxi.  6) ;  vail  rent  at  His  death  (Mat.  xxvii.  51); 
Gentile  court  (Ep.  ii.  13,  14) ;  Gentiles  forbidden  to  enter  (Ac.  xxi. 
27,  30.)  Jews  prayed  without  (Lu.  i.  10,  xviii.  10);  speaking  against 
(Mat.  xxvi.  61;  Ac.  vi.  13,  xxi.  28);  desecration  (Jo.  ii.  14);  this 
foretold  (Han.  ix.  27,  xi.  31)  ;  cleansed,  etc.,  by  Judas  Maccabseus, 
aft.  desecration  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes  (Jo.  x.  22) ;  desecrated  by 
Romans  (Dan.  ix.'27,  cf.  Mat.  xxiv.  15). 

II.  Historical  Note. — "  At  length  the  end  came,  70  A.r>.  The  cup 
of  Judah's  iniquity  was  full.  Various  portents  are  said  to  have  betokened 
the  approaching  ruin,  and  the  spontaneous  movement  of  the  great  gates, 
wh.  required  20  men  to  close  them,  and  the  awful  voice  wh.  resounded 
through  the  fane,  '  Let  us  depart,  be  they  real,  or  only  gathered  from  the 
exaggerated  reports  of  frightened  men,  yet  bear  their  testimony  to  the 
profound  conviction  everywhere  felt  that  ruin,  irreparable  ruin — ruin,  the 
whisper  of  wh.  should  cause  every  ear  to  tingle,  was  at  hand.  It  was, 
indeed.  The  Roman  legions  invested  the  rebellious  city;  and  though 
Titus  used  every  means  to  save  the  Temple,  it  was  destroyed  by  consuming 
fire,  and  the  Saviour's  words  were  literally  fulfilled.  O  grievous  catastrophe! 
Alas  for  the  guilty,  rejected  nation !  " 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  159 

Tiines.l  TRUE  RELIGION.  [The  Second  Temple. 

"  Our  Temple  hath  not  left  a  stone, 
And  mockery  sits  on  Salem's  throne!  " 

A  vain  attempt  was  made  hy  the  Emperor  Julian  to  rehuild  it.  It  was 
Btrangely  defeated,  in  a  way  wh.  impressed  even  Gibbon  [Bed.  ami  Fall, 

iv.  95-102);  and  though  Guizot  and  Milman  would  account  for  this  hy 
natural  causes,  yet  the  employment  of  natural  causes  at  a  critical  time  has 
often  testified  to  the  interference  of  the  Great  First  Cause.  On  the  site  of 
the  t.  is  now  a  Mohammedan  mosque.  But  in  the  walls  of  the  enclosure 
are  some  of  the  huge  stones,  bevelled  or  panelled,  wh.  were  part  of  the 
ancient  sanctuary  :  there  is  a  fragment  of  the  bridge  ;  . .  . .  there  are  sub- 
terranean passages  and  channels,  wh.  may  have  belonged  to  the  first  struc- 
ture, but  certainly  did  to  the  last.  And  this  is  all.  The  t.,  the  glory  of 
Jerusalem,  is  no  more.  But  a  yet  more  magnificent  city  is  to  arise, 
adorned  with  rarer  beauty.  And  if  there  shall  be  "no  t.  therein,"  it  is 
because  "the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  t.  of  it"  (Rev. 
xxi.  22).  {T.  B.  E.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  The  fact  that  the 

Jews  were  not  checked  in  their  sinful  course  by  the  voice  of  history  may 
remind  us  men  are  slow  to  learn  except  by  their  own  experience.  2.  Fallen 
men,  who  in  their  decay  are  like  ruined  temples,  surround  us ;  and  are 
observed,  commented  on,  and  pitied  by  men,  who  themselves  are  on  the 
same  highway  to  ruin.  3.  Each  man  in  the  broad  way,  while  he  pities 
others,  and  moralizes  upon  them,  thinks  he  will  escape.  4.  The  Jews  of 
Christ's  day  were  angry  when  the  Lord  said  they  were  of  the  same  spirit 
as  those  who  killed  the  prophets.  5.  The  strength  and  splendour  of  the  t. 
did  not  save  it,  but  when  the  time  came  attracted  the  spoiler :  the  greater 
one's  power,  wealth,  influence,  etc.,  the  more  terrible  will  be  the  final  de- 
struction. 6.  The  things  seen — mightiest  and  most  magnificent — are 
temporal.  7-  Jesus  wept  over  the  city  of  wh.  the  t.  was  the  most  attractive 
and  suggestive  object :  our  eyes,  like  His,  would  be  bedewed  with  tears 
could  we,  too,  see  the  fate  of  some  nations  and  of  some  men.  8.  Timely 
and  practical  repentance  might  have  averted  the  fate  of  the  city  and  the 
Temple ;  hence  enforce  the  duty  and  benefits  of  repentance  unto  life. 

"  Reft  of  thy  sons,  amid  thy  foes  forlorn, 
Mourn,  widow'd  Queen,  forgotten  Zion,  mourn  ! 
Is  this  thy  place,  sad  city,  this  thy  throne, 
Where  the  wild  desert  rears  its  craggy  stone  ? 
While  suns  unblest  their  angry  lustre  fling, 
And  wayworn  pilgrims  seek  the  scanty  spring  ? — 
Where  now  thy  pomp,  which  kings  with  envy  view'd  ? 
Where  now  thy  might,  which  all  those  kings  subdued  ?" 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Great  power,  etc.,  and  former  moral  and 
religious  associations,  will  not  save  the  impenitent  from  the  wrath  of  God. 
2.  Folly  of  leaning  upon  reputation  and  piety  of  ancestors.  3.  Except  ye 
repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish.  4.  True  worship  not  confined  to  any 
place.  "  The  hour  cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall 
worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth :  for  the  Father  seeketh  such 
to  worship  Him  "  (Jo.  iv.  23). 


160  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Synagogue.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Levitical 

I.  Hist,  of  S. — 1.  Name  :  Word  synagogue  =  an  assembly  of 
Jews  for  worship  [Gk.  synagagg—syn,  together,  ago,  to  lead]  ;  prob. 
an  appointed,  regularly  recurring  meeting.     The  word  was  presently 

applied  to  the  building  in  wh. 
the  meeting  was  held,  as  the 
word  church  (=  "  a  congregation 
of  faithful  men  ")  now  sig.  the 
place  of  assembly.  In  N.  T.  it.  is 
sometimes  used  iiterally  (Jo.  ix. 
22,  34),  but  it  is  more  frequently 
used  of  the  building.  2.  Origin": 
Although  the  Rabbins  assert  its 
remote  antiquity,  there  is  no 
clear  trace  of  s.  bef.  captivity. 
Yet  pious  men  did  meet  for  wor- 
ship (Mai.  iii.  16),  and  this  they 
prob.  did  not  neglect  in  their  cap- 
tivity. (Ps.  exxxvii.)  On  their 
return  Ss.  spread  rapidly,  under 
the  influence  of  John  Hyrcanus  and  the  Pharisees,  until  they  were 
thickly  planted  in  the  towns  and  villages,  and  found  in  Gentile 
cities  as  places  of  Jewish  worship. 

II.  Description. — 1.  Building:  Same  in  form,  dif.  in  size.  If 
not  on  an  eminence,  a  pole  fixed  in  the  roof  indicated  its  situation. 
Internal  arrangement  like  the  Tabernacle,  save  that  the  s.  was  a 
place  in  which  the  people  assembled.  At  end  nearest  to  Jerusalem 
(Dan.  vi.  10 ;  IK.  viii.  35,  38,  44)  was  the  sacred  place,  where  the 
bks.  of  the  law,  etc.,  were  kept,  in  an  ark  or  coffer,  and  here  were 
the  "  chief  seats  "  (Mat.  xxiii.  6).  The  body  of  the  people  sat  in  the 
rest  of  the  building,  on  seats  so  constructed  that  "  the  eyes  of  all  " 
could  be  "  fastened  "  on  the  reader.  The  women  occ.  a  gallery 
provided  for  them.  2.  Worship  :  In  small  s.  only  one  rabbi ;  in 
larger,  "  rulers,"  "  elders,"  and  a  president  or  "  chief  ruler  "  (Lu.  vii. 
3,  viii.  41,49,  xiii.  14;  Ac.  xviii.  8,  17).  Each  worshipper  covers 
his  head  on  entering  with  the  4-cornered  tallith,  or  places  it  on  his 
shoulder  as  a  scarf.  When  the  time  of  worship  is  come,  all  rise,  and 
the  chief  functionary  repeats  the  prayers  ;  they  then  repeat  their 
phylacteries  ;  the  reading  of  app.  portion  of  law  follows,  then  the 
reading  of  the  prophets,  which  may  be  performed  by  any  Jew.  Some- 
times this  was  requested  of  a  stranger  (Lu.  iv.  17,  20).  The  worship, 
strictly  speaking,  was  now  over.  At  this  time  an  address  may  be 
given  by  a  learned  man  "  or  stranger."  At  such  a  time  it  was  that, 
at  Antioch,  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  invited  to  speak  (Ac.  xiii.  15). 
3.  Other  uses:  The  s.  was  also  the  place  of  trial  (Lu.  xii.  11, 
xxi.  12),  and  sometimes  of  punishment  (Mat.  x.  17  ;  Mk.  xiii.  12). 

III.  Bible  Refs.  to  S.— Places  of  Jewish  worship  (Ac.  xiii.  5,  14)  ? 


p      u 


fU'l. 

I 


H.Tu.limn 


Reference^ 


I 


|  ,-lni. 


--  ,ko' 


KKIIIJSH  : 


3S°jn'       longitude     East        13'        fvom^       Grwnwirh         20' 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  161 

Times.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Synagogue. 

Early  notice  of  (Ps.  lxxiv.  8) ;  revival  aft.  captivity  (Neh.  via.  1-8). 
Service  prayer  (Mai.  vi.  5)  ;  reading  Scriptures  (Neh.  viii.  18,  ix.  3,  xiii.  1 ; 
Ac.  xv.  21)  by  one  of  congregation  (Lu.  iv.  16);  exposition  (Neh.  viii.  8; 
Lu.  iv.  21)  ;  by  strangers  (Ac.  xiii.  15) ;  praise  (Neh.  ix.  5)  ;  on  Sabbath 
clay  (Lu.  iv.  16;  Ac.  xiii.  14)  ;  officers'  (Ac.  xiii.  15,  xviii.  8,  17  ;  Mk.  v. 
22 ;  Lu.  iv.  17,  20)  seats  (Mat.  xxiii.  6  ;  Ac.  xiii.  14).  Jesus  attended 
(Lu.  iv.  16)  ;  taught  in  (Mat.  iv.  23  ;  Mk.  i.  39  ;  Lu.  xiii.  10) ;  miracles 
in  (Mat.  xii.  9,  10  ;  Mk.  i.  23 ;  Lu.  xiii.  11).  Apostles  (Ac.  ix.  20,  xiii.  5, 
xvii.  1,  17).     Used  as  courts  of  justice  (Ac.  ix.  2  ;  Jas.  ii.  2,  marg.) 

IV.  Special  Notes. — It  was  a  good  work  to  build  a  s. ;  and  we 
find  it  noted  of  a  Gentile  (prob.  a  proselyte)  that  he  loved  the  Jews,  and 
had  built  them  a  s.  (Lu.  vii.  5).  The  places  "  where  prayer  was  wont  to 
be  made  "  (Ac.  xvi.  13)  do  not  appear  to  have  been  s.,  but  proseneha,  in 
the  open  air,  near  water,  for  convenience  of  ablution.  For  modern  s.,  see 
Mills'  British  Jews,  78-130.  By  great  s.  is  meant  that  council,  said  to  be 
formed  aft.  captivity,  wh.  settled  the  o.  t.  canon  of  Scripture.  Ace.  to 
tradition,  there  were  120  members,  under  direction  of  Ezra,  and  they  are 
said  to  have  organized  the  ritual,  and  made  var.  regulations  ever  aft. 
held  in  highest  honour.  The  aces,  given  of  this  body  are  uncertain; 
but  there  is  very  likely  some  substance  of  fact ;  and  the  existence  of  a 
recognized  council,  wh.  was  succeeded  in  some  of  its  functions  by  the 
Sanhedrim,  may  be  fairly  admitted.  Neh.  viii.  1 3  gives  some  countenance 
to  it.     See  Prideaux,  Connection,  i.  281,  282.    (T,  S.  K.) 

V.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  Forget  not  assem- 
bling of  yourselves  together.  2.  Worship  needful  as  well  as  right.  3.  The 
temple  not  sufficient.  Its  services  were  representative ;  the  priest,  for  the 
nation,  offered  sacrifices,  etc. ;  but  the  people  did  not  enter  it.  They  had 
need  of  worship,  and  therefore  of  a  place.  The  s.  convenient.  4.  Constant 
service  in  s.  would,  by  reading  of  law,  etc.,  promote  social  order,  etc., 
throughout  the  land.  Compare  this  with  the  effect  of  public  worship  in 
this  country.  5.  The  particular  effect  of  one  service  and  sermon  may  be 
often  inappreciable,  but  the  general  result  of  many  services  throughout  the 
land  every  week, — on  thoughtful  classes  of  the  community  attending  those 
services,  and  on  others  through  them — must  be  wonderful.  6.  But  chiefly, 
public  worship  is  to  be  esteemed  as  a  quickener  of  spiritual  life,  and  a  means 
of  grace  and  salvation.  Very  few  have  a  good  hope  but  they  trace  it  either 
directly  to  the  worship  itself,  or  indirectly  to  that  worship  through  some 
institution — as  the  Sunday-school — whose  activity  has  been  stimulated  by 
it.  There  would  soon  be  an  end  of  such  schools,  and  indeed  of  ever}'  other 
Christian  institution,  if  worship  and  preaching  were  ended.  Teachers  and 
other  workers  would  cease  to  labour  if  the  influence  of  the  sanctuary  were 
withdrawn  from  them.  7.  Support,  by  aid  and  presence,  the  house  of  God, 
and  you  support  what — under  God — is  the  mainspring  of  Christian  life  and 
enterprise. 

VI.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Attend  the  house  of  God  regularly,  con- 
stantly, devotedly.  2.  Take  heed  how  you  hear.  3.  Ask  God's  blessing 
at  the  beginning,  that  your  hearts  may  be  prepared ;  and  at  the  close,  that 
the  truth  may  be  sealed  upon  the  conscience,  and  profit  you  in  life. 
4.  Invite  others  to  the  house  of  God — not  because  of  the  preacher,  but  to 
worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness. 


162 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Christ,  Birth,  etc.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Biographical. — 1.  Date:  Uncertain;  ace.  to  received  idea 
(that  of  Dionysius  Exiguus,  in  6th  cent.)  it  was  A.u.c.  754,  wh.  we 
usually  reckonas  the  year  of  our  Lord — A.D.  1.  Most  critics  think  this 
is  too  late,  but  ditfer  as  to  how  much.  Herod 
Gt.  died  (ace.  to  J.)  in  37th  yr.  aft.  his  eleva- 
tion, wh.  coincides  with  consulship  of  Cn. 
Donritius  Calvinns  and  C.  Asinius  Pollio  in 
A.U.C.  714=  B.C.  4.  It  is  believed  Herod 
died  at  the  beginning  of  37th  yr.,  just  bef. 
the  passover  (J.  Ant.,  xvii.  9,  3) ;  if,  there- 
fore 36  clear  yrs.  are  added  to  714,  the  yr.  of 
Herod's  death  will  be  A.u.c.  750  =  B.C.  4. 
Jesus  must  have  been  born  bef.  April  750, 
and  if  only  a  few  months  bef.  Herod's  death. 
its  date  will  be  B.C.  4.  We  cannot  fix  the 
interval  betw.  birth  of  Jesus  and  death  of  Herod.  Prob.  the  nearest 
approximation  to  the  exact  date  is  A.U  C.  750  =  B.C.  4.  Thus 
was  fulfilled  the  prophecy  as  to  time  (Dan.  ix.  24-27).  2.  Paren- 
tage .  Mary  of  Nazareth,  com.  called  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  his  reputed 
father-was  Joseph,  a  carpenter  of  the  same  town  (Mat.  xiii.  55;  Mk. 
vi.  3),  and  both  were  of  the  royal  house  of  David.  3.  PLACE: 
Bethlehem  of  Judaea  (Mat.  ii.l ;  Lu.  ii.  4-7),  thus  fulfilling  the  pre- 
diction as  to  place  (Mic.  v.  2).  4.  Circumstances:  (1)  An  angel 
apps.  to  an  aged  priest  of  Judoea,  Zacharias,  and  foretells  the  birth  of 
a  son,  to  be  called  John  (Lu.  i.  5-25),  in  fulfilment  of  Mai.  iv.  5,  6, 
cf.  Lu.  i.  16,  17.  (2)  6  mo.  aft.,  the  angel  was  sent  to  Nazareth,  to 
Miry  (Lu.  i.  26-28),  to  whom  he  announces  (hence  this  event  is 
called  the  Annunciation)  that  she,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
should  bring  forth  a  son,  to  be  called  Jesus  (Is.  ix.  7,  xvi.  5;  Jer. 
xxxiii.  5;  Dan.  ii.  44,  vii.  14).  (3)  Mary  visits  Elizabeth,  prob.  at 
Hebron  (Jos.  xxi.  11),  ab.  70  m.  ir.  Nazareth.  Here  Mary  poured 
out  that  beautiful  song  of  thanksgiving  (Lu.  i.  39-56).  (<f)  Joseph 
has  a  dream  by  which  his  confidence  in  Mary  is  restored  (Mat.  i. 
18-24,  cf.  Is.  vii.  14).  (5)  Birth  of  John  (Lu.  i.' 57-80).  (6)  Birth  of 
Christ,  and  visit  of  the  shepherds  (Mat.  i.  25  ;  Lu.  ii.  1-20,  BC.4); 
(Hag.  ii.  6,  7;  Mai.  iii.  1;  Ge.  xlix.  10;  Is.  xi.  1;  Jer.  xxxiii.  5). 
(7)  Circumcision  of  Christ  aft.  8  dys.  (Lu.  ii.  21).  (8)  Presentation 
(Lu.  ii.  22-40,  cf.  Nu.  xviii.  15,  16),'  when  Simeon  declared  Him  to  be 
the  fulfilment  of  prophecy.  (9)  Bef.  returning  to  Nazareth,  Mary  and 
Joseph  went  to  Bethlehem,  where  they  were  visited  by  the  Magi 
(Mat.  ii.  1-23) ;  Herod  hears  of  their  inquiry,  and  gives  them  a  com- 
mand to  find  Jesus  and  return  to  him.  This,  a  dream  prevents  them 
fr.  doing.  (10)  Joseph  being  warned  of  Herod's  purpose,  by  a.  dream, 
Hies  into  Egypt:  thus  was  fulfilled  Hos.  ii.  1.  (11)  Murder  of  the 
innocents.  (12)  Return  fr.  Egypt;  (13)  Christ  at  12  yrs.  of  age  (Lu. 
ii.  42-52)  visits  Jerusalem  at  the  passover,  and,  being  lost,  is  alter 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  163 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christ,  Birth,  etc. 

three  davs'  searching  found  in  the  temple.     (14)  Baptism  of  Christ 
(Mat.  in.  13,  17  ;  Mk.  i.  9-11  ;  Lu.  iii.  21,  22). 

II.  Bible  References  to  Human  Nature  of  Christ.— 
Needful  (1  Tim.  ii.  5;  Beb.  ii.  17).  Proof:  born  of  woman  (Mat.  i.  18; 
Lu.  i.  31) ;  birth  (Mat.  i.  16,  25,  ii.  2;  Lu.  ii.  7,  11) ;  having  human  body 
(Jo.  i.  14  ;  Heb.  ii.  14) ;  human  soul  (Mat.  xxvi.  38  ;  Lu.  xxiii.  46;  Ac.  ii. 
31);  growth  (Lu.  ii.  62)  ;  weeping  (Lu.  xix.  41;  Jo.  xi.  35);  hungering 
(.Mat.  iv.  2,  xxi.  18)  ;  thirsting  (Jo.  iv.  7,  xix.  28) ;  sleeping  (Mat.  viii.  24  ; 
Mk.  iv.  38)  ;  weary  (Jo.  iv.  6) ;  sorrowful  (Is.  iii.  3,  4 ;  Lu.  xxii.  44 ;  Jo. 
xi.  33,  xii.  27) ;  buffeted  (Mat.  xxvi.  67  ;  Lu.  xxii.  64) ;  scourged  (Mat. 
xxvii.  26  ;  Jo.  xix.  1) ;  nailed  to  cross  (Ps.  xxii.  16,  cf.  Lu.  xxiii.  33) ; 
death  (Jo.  xix.  30)  ;  side  pierced  (Jo.  xix.  34) ;  burial  (Mat.  xxvii.  59,  60; 
Mk.  xv.  46);  resuxiection  (Ac.  iii.  15;  2  Tim.  ii.  8).  Like  man  in  all 
things,  save  sin  (Ac.  iii.  22  ;  Phi.  ii.  7,  8  ;  Heb.  ii.  17);  without  sin  (Heb. 
vii.  26,  28 ;  1  Jo.  iii.  1) ;  was  submitted  to  evidences  of  senses  (Lu.  xxiv. 
39  ;  Jo.  xx.  27) ;  was  seed  of  woman  (Ge.  iii. 15  ;  Is.  vii.  14  :  Jer.  xxxi.  22  ; 
Lu.  i.  31 ;  Gal.  iv.  4) ;  of  Abraham  (Ge.  xxii.  18,  cf.  Gal.  iii.  16 ;  Heb.  ii. 
10);  of  David  (2  S.  vii.  12,  16;  Ps.  lxxxix.  35,  36;  Jer.  xxiii.  5;  Mat. 
^xii.  42  ;  Mk.  x.  47;  Ac.  ii.  30,  xiii.  23  ;  Ro.  i.  3).  His  genealogy  (Mat.  i., 
Lu.  iii.)  self-attested  (Mat.  viii.  20,  xvi.  13) ;  confession  of,  a  test  (Jo.  iv. 
2)  acknowledged  (Mk.  vi.  3 ;  Jo.  vii.  27,  xix.  5 ;  Ac.  ii.  22) ;  denied  by 
Antichrist  (1  Jo.  iv.  3,  ii.  7). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "Wisdom  of  Provi- 
dence combined  time,  place,  persons,  etc.,  for  exact  fulfiment  of  pro- 
phecy.  How  great  would  be  the  triumph  of  sceptics  if  they  could  point 
out  in  the  circumstances  of  the  birth  of  Christ  any  non -fulfilment  of  pro- 
phecy!  Infinite  condescension  of  God  in  taking  upon  Him  our  nature. 
(C.  I).  N.  T.,  2-9.) 

"  Beginne  from  the  first,  where  He  encradled  was 
In  simple  cratch,  wrapt  in  a  wad  of  hay 
Between  the  toylfull  oxe  and  humble  ass, 
And  in  what  rags,  and  in  how  base  aray, 
The  glory  of  our  heavenly  riches  lay, 
When  Him  the  silly  shepherds  came  to  see, 
Whom  greatest  princes  sought  on  lowest  knee."     (Spenser.) 
Wise  and  simple — shepherds  and  magi — equally  interested   in  birth  of 
Jesus. 

Humility,  on  Judah's  hills, 
Watching  her  fleecy  care, 


Led  by  the  solitary  star 
To  glory's  poor  abode, 

Lo !  wondering  wisdom  from  afar 
Brings  incense  to  her  God. 


Turns  to  an  angel  voice  that  fills 
With  love  the  midnight  air." 
(Campbell.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Beauty  of  humility :  the  Lofty  stoops  to 
the  lowly — God  to  man.  Manner,  etc.,  of  birth  of  Jesus,  a  homily  on 
liumm  pride.  2.  We  should  willingly  stoop  to  men  of  low  degree  if  we 
would  raise  them  up.  3.  Sanctity  of  childhood  ;  the  world's  Saviour  once 
a  helpless  babe.  4.  No  room  for  Christ  in  the  inn :  let  us,  for  His  sake, 
find  loom  in  our  hearts  for  poor  children  j  let  us  esp.  find  room  for  Christ. 


164 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Christ,  Teachings.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive.— 1.   Form:  sometimes  by  direct  dogmatic  state- 
ment (Mat.  v.,  vi.,  vii.)  ;  sometimes  in  the  form  of  parable  (Mat.  xiii. 
3,  34)  "7rapaj3o\r),  fr.  TrapafidWeiv,  projicere,  objicere,  to  put  forth  one 
_^  thing  before   or  beside  ano- 

^=^^£=d^  ther  ;  and  it  is  often  assumed, 

r§N  though    not    necessarily    in- 

|       — ^       eluded  in  the  word,  that  the 
Cb      purpose  for  wh.  they  are  set 
^gSS^    ;...     side  by  side  is  that  they  may 
°TfS|ffiy^Y:^    be    compared   one   with   the 
^^gilflii^     other."      (Trench,     Parables, 
^l^^gr^}  p.  1,  n.)    Many  attempts  have 
^h^isg^gy—  'lC(-'ii  made  to  classify,  or  re- 
§g| Ss^3  dace   to   some    artificial    ar- 
'  ^  rangement,    the    parables    of 

~^  " ~s?  our  Lord.     Such  classification 

Eastern  Lamps.  hgs  beeu   baged   either  Qn  the 

time  when  they  were  delivered,  or  the  nature  of  them  [Thus, 
Neander's  is — 1,  P.  of  the  kingdom;  2,  moral  requisites  for  entering 
kingdom;  3,  call  to  enter  kingdom;  4,  activity  in  kingdom';  5,  true 
spirit  of  kingdom.  Dr.  Gray's  is — 1,  p.  representing  nature  and  pro- 
gress of  Gospel ;  2,  p.  representing  rejection  of  Jews,  and  call  of 
Gentiles;   3,  P.  of  moral  instruction.      GresweWs  is  — 1,  prophetic; 

2,  moral.  Disco's  is — 1,  P.  representing  heavenly  kingdom  as  contain- 
ing truths  and  powers  of  Divine  origin,  etc. ;  2.  p.  representing  that 
kingdom  founded  on  these  truths  ;  3,  P.  representing  that  kingdom 
in  the  faith,  love,  and  hopes  of  its  members.]  Taking  them  in  order 
of  time,  it  is  worthy  of  note,  That  \\\ejirst  group,  founded  chiefly  on 
nature,  have  for  their  theme  the  laws  of  the  kingdom  of  grace,  in  its 
growth,  nature,  consummation  (Mat.  xiii. ;  Mk.  iv. ;  Lu.  viii;) :  That 
aft.  some  months — betw.  mission  of  70  and  return  to  Jerusalem — we 
have  a  second  group  founded  on  human  life,  delivered  chiefly  to  dis- 
ciples (Mat.  xviii.  xx.  ;  Lu.  vii.,  x.,  xi.,  xii.,  xiv.,  xv.,  xvi.,  xviii.)  : 
That  the  third  "roup,  towels,  close  of  ministry,  chiefly  on  final  con- 
summation of  this  kingdom,  are  prophetic  (Mat.  xxi.,  xxv. ;  Mk.  xii. ; 
Lu.  xix.,  xx )  2.  Theme:  whole  range  of  Christian  duty  and 
doctrine,— life  and  immortality,  life,  death,  judgment,  heaven,  hell. 

3.  Manner:  gentleness,  force,  boldness,  authoritativeness  (Mat.  vii. 
29).  4.  Effects:  common  people  (Mk.  xii.  37;  Lu.  iv.  22); 
enemies  baffled  (Mat.  xxii.  46;  Mk.  xii.  34;  Lu.  xiv.  6,  xx.  40); 
officers  sent  to  take  Him  bore  witness  to  His  power  (Jo.  vii.  46). 

"  These,  too,  He  vanquished.     When  the  holy  law 
From  His  pure  lips  like  mountain  honey  flowed 
Still,  as  He  spake,  the  haughty  heart  was  bowed, 
Passion  was  calmed,  and  Malice  crouched  in  awe ; 
The  Scribe,  perversely  blind,  began  to  see, 
And  mute  conviction  held  the  Pharisee. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  165 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christ,  Teaching*. 

•Never  man  Bpake  like  this  man,'  was  their  cry, — 
Ami  yet  Hi'  spake,  and  yet  they  heard  in  vain : 
E'en  as  their  sires  to  idols  turned  again, 

When  Sinai's  thunders  shook  no  more  the  sky, 
So  those  went  back  to  bend  at  Mammon's  shrine, 
And  heard  that  voice  no  more,  yet  felt  it  was  Divine !  " 

{Bale.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Christ,  as  a  teacher, 

coniinned  all  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  had  written.  2.  Ho  who  in  a 
f.  inner  day  spoke  to  onr  fathers  by  the  prophets,  has  now  spoken  to  us  by 
His  Son  (Jo.  xiv.  24;  Heb.  i.  1,  2).  3.  He  commanded  us  to  search  tho 
Scriptures ;  much  more  should  we  hearken  to  Him  to  whom  they  all 
testified  (Heb.  ii.  1-3).  4.  As  a  teacher,  He  comes  to  us  with  a  Divine 
warrant  (Mat.  xvii.  5 ;  Mk.  ix.  7).  5.  There  now  remaineth,  as  a  Divine 
teacher,  no  man  save  Jesus  only. 

"  Is  not  the  Saviour  teaching  still  ? 

The  wheels  of  Providence  He  turns ; 
All  is  subservient  to  His  will, 

'Tis  He  prevents,  and  He  confirms. 
"What  comfort  to  His  saints  to  know 
That  He  controls  their  every  foe. 
Doth  He  not  by  His  Spirit  teach 

All  whom  His  heavenly  Father  gave  ? 
That  '  still  small  voice '  their  hearts  must  reach ; 

He  must  conduct  whom  Christ  will  save. 
Our  Lord  ascended  up  on  high, 
And  captive  led  captivity."  (Hojjkins.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Are  we  true  disciples— learners— of 
Jesus  ?   2.  Do  we  obey  as  fast  as  we  learn  ?  (Jo.  vii.  17,  xiii.  17;  Jas.  iv.  17). 

[Addenda.— 52  ps.  of  Christ :  builders  (Mat.  vii.  24-27) ;  children  of 
bride-chamber  (ix.  15);  new  cloth  (16);  new  wine  (17);  unclean  spirit 
(xii.  43) ;  sower  (xiii.  3,  18  ;  Lu.  viii.  5,  11);  tares  (Mat.  xiii.  24-30,  36-43); 
mustard-seed  (31,  32;  Lu.  xiii.  19)  ;  leaven  (Mat.  xiii.  33)  ;  treasure  in 
field  (44) ;  pearl  of  price  (45,  46);  draw-net  (47-50) ;  meats  (xv.  10-15)  ; 
unmerciful  servant  (xviii.  23-35 ;  labourers  (xx.  1-16) ;  two  sons  (xxi. 
28-32) ;  husbandmen  (35-45) ;  marriage-feast  (xxii.  2-14) ;  fig-tree  leafing 
(xxiv.  32-34) ;  watching  (43) ;  servants  (45-51) ;  virgins  (xxv.  1-3) ;  talents 
(14-30) ;  divided  kingdom  (Mk.  iii.  24);  house  (25) ;  armed  man  (27;  Lu. 
xi.  21);  seed  growing  secretly  (Mk.  iv.  26-29) ;  lighted  candle  (Mk.  iv.  21; 
Lu.  xi.  33-36) ;  man,  journey  (Mk.  xiii.  34-37) ;  blind  leaders  (Lu.  vi.  39) ; 
beam  and  mote  (41,  42);  tree  and  fruit  (43-45);  creditor  (vii.  41-47); 
good  Samaritan  (x.  30-37) ;  importunate  friend  (xi.  5-9) ;  rich  fool  (xii. 
16-21)  ;  cloud  and  wind  (54-57) ;  barren  fig-tree  (xiii.  6-9)  ;  bidding  to  a 
feast  (xiv.  7-11) ;  tower  (28-30.  33)  ;  going  to  war  (31-33) ;  salt  (34,  35)  ; 
lost  sheep  (xv.  3-7);  lost  coin  (8-10);  prodigal  son  (11-32);  unjust 
steward  (xvi.  1-8) ;  Lazarus  (19-31) ;  unjust  judge  (xviii.  1-8) ;  Pharisee 
and  publican  (xviii.  9-14) ;  pounds  (xix.  12-27) ;  good  shepherd  (Jo.  x. 
1-6);  vine(xv.  1-5).] 


1GG 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Christ,  Miracles  ] 


TREE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Descriptive.— 1.  Definition  (see  C.  D.  O.  T.,  107):  A  m. 
is  a  supernatural  act— an  act,  that  is,  wh.  operates  on  the  chain  of 
cause  and  effect  in  nature,  f'r.  without  the  chain,  producing  in  the 

sphere  of the 
senses  some 
event  that 
moves  our 
wonder,  and 
evinces  the. 
presence  of 
a  more  than 
human  pow- 
er. Observe 
!§  three  points 
^  — (])  It  is 
by  some  ac- 
tion upon, 
not  in,  the 
line  of 
cause  and 
effect,  (2)  It 
is     in     the 

Syrian  Baskets.  sphere  of  the 

senses,  for  though  the  regeneration  of  a  soul  may  require  as  great 
power  as  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  it  is  yet  no  proper  miracle,  because 
it  is  no  sign  to  the  senses.  (3)  It  must  be  understood  to  evince  a 
supernatural  power,  otherwise  feats  of  jugglery  and  magic  would  be 
Ms."  (Bushnell.)  2.  Purpose:  wonders  to  attract  notice;  signs 
to  instruct  (Jo.  iv.  48,  cf.  Ac.  vii.  36).  (1)  They  attested  His  mission 
(Jo.  iii.  2,  xi.  15,42,45,  xiv.  11).  (2)  They  expounded  His  teachings 
— hence  sight  to  the  blind  ill.  light  to  understanding,  etc;  (3)  They 
illustrate  His  character  (Ms.  of  love),  and  his  nature  (Ms.  of  power). 
3.  Classification:  Archbp.  Thomson's  is  this:  (1)  Ms.  of  Love — 
(a)  raising  dead,  3  ;  (b)  curing  mental  disease,  6 ;  (c)  cure  of  body,  18. 
(2)  Ms.  of  Power — (a)  creating,  2— (b)  destroying,  1  —  (c)  setting 
aside  ordinary  laws  of  being.  7.  JFestcotfs  is  this  :  i.  Ms.  on  Nature — 
(1)  Ms.  of  power  (Jo.  ii.  1-12.  Mat.  xiv.  15-21  ;  Mk.  vi.  35-44  ; 
Lu.  ix.  12-17  ;  Jo.  vi.  5-14.  Mat.  xv.  32-39;  Mk.  viii.  1-10.  Mat. 
xiv  22-36;  Mk.  vi.  48,  49;  Jo.  vi.  16-21).  (2)  Ms.  of  Providence 
a.  Blessing  (Lu.  v.  1-1 h  Mat.  viii.  23-27  ;  Mk.  iv.  35-41  ;  Lu.  viii. 
22-25.  Mat.  xvii.  24-27.  Jo.  xxi.  1-23).  /3.  Judgment  (Mat.  xxi. 
19;  Mk.  xi.  20-).  ii  Ms.  on  Man—(\)  Ms.  of  personal  faith  (Mat.  ix. 
29-31.  xx.  29-34  ;  Mk.  x.  46-52  ;  Lu.  xviii.  35-43.  Mat.  viii.  1-4  ; 
Mk.  i.  40  45  ;  Lu.  v.  12-16.  Lu.  xvii.  11-19.  Mat.  ix.  20-22  ;  Mk. 
v.  25-34;  Lu.  viii.  43  48).  (2)  Ms.  of  intercession  (Mk.  viii.  22-26. 
vii.  31-37.     Jo.  iv.  46-54.      Mat.  viii.  5-13  ;  Lu.  vii.  1-10.     Mat.  ix. 


TOPICS    FOE    TEACHERS.  167 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christ,  Miracles. 

1-8;  Mk.  ii.  1-12  ;  Lu.  v.  17-20.  (3)  Ms.  of  love  (Jo.  ix.  Mat.  viii- 
14,  15  ;  Mk.  i.  29-34  ;  Lu.  iv.  38-41.  Lu.  'xiv.  1-6.  Mat.  xii.  9-13  ; 
Mk.  iii.  1-5;  Lu.  vi.  6-11.  Jo.  v.  1-17.  Lu.  xiii.  10-17.  [Dead 
raised  (Mat.  ix.  IS-  ;  Mk.  v.  22-;  Lu.  viii.  41-.  Lu.  vii.  11-18.  Jo.  xi.)] 
iii.  Ms.  on  the  Spirit-world— (I)  Ms.  of  intercession  (Mat.  ix.  32-34.  xii. 
22-,  cf.  Lu.  xi.  11-.  Mat.  xv.  21-28:  Mk.  vii.  2-1  30.  Mat.  xvii.  14-; 
Mk.  ix.  1 1- ;  Lu.  ix.  37-).  (2)  Ms.  of  antagonism  (Mk.  i.  21-28;  Lu. 
iv.  31-37.  Mat.  viii.  28-34;  Mk.  v.  1-17;  Lu.  viii.  20-37).  (Westcott's 
Characteristics  <</'  Gospt  I  Miracles?) 

II.  Eible  References  to   Miracles. — Power  of  God  needed 

(Jo.  iii.  3)  ;  described — marvellous  (lJs.  lxxviii.  12,  cv.  5;  Isa.  xxix.  14)  ; 
signs  and  wonders  (Jer.  xxxii.  21  ;  Jo.  iv.  48  ;  2  Cor.  xii.  12)  make  plain 
glory  of  God  (Jo.  xi.  4),  of  Christ  (ii.  11,  xi.  4)  ;  works  of  God  (ix.  3) 
of  Divine  commission  (Ex.  iv.  1-5  ;  Mk.  xvi.  20).  Messiah  ex- 
pected  to  work  ua.  (Mat.  xii.  2,  3;  Jo.  vii.  31),  and  proved  to  be  Messiah. 
by  (Mat.  xi.  4-6 ;  Jo.  v.  36 ;  Ac.  ii.  22)  ;  followed  on  ace.  of  (Mat.  iv.  23- 
25  ;  Jo.  vi.  2,  26)  ;  a  gift  of  Holv  Ghost  (1  Cor.  xii.  10)  ;  performed  by 
power  of  God  (Ac.  xiv.  3,  xv.  12,  xix.  11),  of  Christ  (Mat.  x.  1).  of  Holy 
Ghost  (xii.  28  ;  Ko.  xv.  19)  ;  in  name  of  Christ  (Mat.  xvi.  17  ;  Ac.  iii.  16, 
iv.  30)  ;  preaching  of  Gospel  confirmed  by  (Mat.  xvi.  20  ;  Heb.  ii.  4). 
Apostles  disclaimed  all  praise  (Ac.  iii.  12).  Should  produce  faith  (Jo.  ii. 
23.  xx.  30,  31)  and  obedience  (Deu.  xi.  1-3,  xxix.  2,  3,  9)  ;  aided  the_  Gos- 
pel (Ac.  viii.  6  ;  Ro.  xv.  18,  19).  Faith  :  need  in  performer  (Mat.  xvii.  20, 
xxi.  21  ;  Jo.  xiv.  12  ;  Ac.  iii.  16,  vi.  8) ;  those  for  whom  performed 
(Mat.  ix.  28;  Mk.  ix.  22-24  ;  Ac.  xiv.  9);  should  be  remembered  (1  Ch. 
xvi.   12;  Ps.  cv.  5)  ;  told  in  the  future  (Ex.  x.  2;  Jud.  vi.  13). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  ms.  are  like  candles 

lit  up  till  the  sun  rises,  and  then  blown  out.  Therefore  I  am  amused 
when  I  hear  sects  and  churches  talk  ab.  having  evidence  of  Divine 
authority,  because  they  have  ms.  ms.  in  our  time  are  like  candles  in  the 
street  at  midday.  We  do  not  want  ms.  They  are  to  teach  men  how  to  find 
out  truths  themselves,  and  aft.  they  have  learned  this,  they  no  more  need 
them  than  a  well  man  needs  a  staff",  or  than  a  grown-up  child  needs  a 
walking-stool.  They  are  the  educating  expedients  of  the  early  periods  of 
the  world.  As  such,  they  are  divinely  wise  ;  aft.  they  have  served  their 
purpose  as  such,  it  is  humanly  foolish  for  persons  to  pretend  to  have 
them."  (BeccJter.)  ms.  of  Christ :  1.  ill.  benevolence  of  His  nature.  2.  Dis- 
play greatness  of  His  power.  3.  Show  His  authority  to  Moses  and  the 
prophets.  4.  Confirm  our  faith  in  His  divinity.  5.  Show  His  authority 
over  all  creation— spirits,  nature,  man.  6.  Tend  to  fulfil  prophecy.  7.  Give 
weight  to  His  doctrines.  8.  Blessings  to  those  afflicted.  9.  Emblems  of 
spiritual  mercies.  10.  Lessons  of  piety  once  addressed  to  the  eye,  now 
addressed  to  ear,  to  cheer  our  hearts  and  animate  us  to  works  of  mercy. 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Have  we  believed  in  Christ?      2.  On 
what  ground  do  we  reject  the  miracles  of  Christ  ?     3.  If  we  admit  them, 

n  we  reject  His  divinity?  4.  If  we  acknowledge  His  divinity,  how 
dreadful  is  our  position  unless  we  acknowledge  Him  as  our  Saviour.  5.  For 
then  we  believe  that  a  Divine  Being  came  into  this  world,  and  lived,  and 
wrought  many  wonders,  and  died ; — for  what,  if  not  to  save  sinners  'i 


1G8  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Christ,  Character.}  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive  Outline. — "  Only  c.  that  has  a  perfect  youth — 
the  only  great  C  that  holds  a  footing  of  innocence.  Only  re- 
ligious c.  that  disowns  repentance.  He  unites  cs.  dif.  to  he  united. 
His  astonishing  pretensions,  which  enter  into  all  His  actions.  No  one 
offended  by  them.  What  mere  man  could  support  them?  Peculiar 
in  passive  virtues — does  not  falter  in  common  trials.  His  passion  no 
mere  human  martyrdom.  Agony  misplaced,  taken  as  a  man's; — 
in  that  case  excessive.  Undertakes  what  is  humanly  impossible. 
Assumes  to  set  up  God's  kingdom  among  men.  Plan  covers  all 
time.  Such  attempts  not  human.  Takes  rank  with  humblest  orders 
of  society.  No  great  social  architect  ever  saw  the  wisdom  of  it; 
yet  He  raises  no  partizan  feeling.  In  this  He  is  no  human  leader. 
He  was  original,  and  independent;  as  no  man  is.  Teaches  by  no 
human  method.  Warped  by  no  desire  to  gain  assent.  Comprehen- 
sive under  no  human  conditions.  Held  no  one-sided  view.  Was 
clear  of  all  current  superstitions,  yet  no  liber.ilist.  Of  perfect 
simplicity,  shining  as  pui-e  light.  Adequately  teaches  God  even  to 
the  humble.  His  morality  not  artistic,  but  intuitive  and  original. 
Never  anxious  for  success.  Raised  and  made  sacred  by  familiarity. 
Our  experience  of  men  is  reversed  in  Him."  (Synopsis  of  The 
Character  of  Jesus,  Bushnell.)  "  Our  eyes  are  keen  to  mark  the 
improprieties  of  our  neighbours;  their  vices  are  generally  more 
noticeable  to  us  than  their  virtues.  From  this  tendency  it  is  not  a 
little  that  tells  in  favour  of  the  purity  of  Christ.  None  of  His 
neighbours  could  charge  Him  with  any  moral  defect.  They  could 
not  say,  Is  not  this  the  intemperate,  the  false,  the  dishonest  ?  The 
best  of  men  have  their  defects,  and  the  nearer  we  come  to  them  the 
more  we  are  disposed  to  say,  '  We  have  seen  the  end  of  all  perfec- 
tion.' Men  whom  we  have  loved  and  almost  worshipped  in  the 
distance,  have,  as  we  approached  them,  appeared  but  men.  But  the 
nearer  you  approach  Christ,  and  the  more  you  inspect  His  character, 
the  brighter  does  His  innocence  shine."    (Homilist.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Character  of  Jesus. — Altogether 
lovely  (Song  v.  16) ;  holy  (Lu.  i.  3o  ;  Ac.  iv.  27;  Rev.  iii.  7) ;  righteous  (Is. 
liii.  11 ;  Heb.  i.  9) ;  good  (Mat.  xix.  16) ;  faithful  (Is.  xi.  5  ;  1  Thes.  v.  24)  ; 
true  (Jo.  i.  14,  vii.  18 ;  1  Jo.  v.  20) ;  just  (Zee.  ix.  9 ;  Jo.  v.  30 ;  Ac.  xxii. 
14)  ;  guileless  (Is.  liii.  9  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  22)  ;  sinless  (Jo.  viii.  46  ;  2  Cor.  v.  21) ; 
spotless  (1  Pet.  i.  19) ;  innocent  (Mat.  xxvii.  4);  harmless  (Heb.  vii.  26) ; 
resisting  temptation  (Mat.  iv.  1-10);  obedient  to  God  (Ps.  xl.  8;  Jo.  iv. 
34,  xv.  10);  zealous  (Lu.  ii.  49;  Jo.  ii.  17,  viii.  29);  meek  (Is.  liii.  7; 
Zee.  ix.  9 ;  Mat.  xi.  29) ;  lowly,  (xi.  29) ;  merciful  (Heb.  ii.  17) ;  patient 
(Is.  liii.  7 ;  Mat.  xxvii.  14) ;  long-suffering  (1  Tim.  i.  16) ;  compassionate 
(Is.  xl.  11;  Lu.  xix.  41;  benevolent  (Mat.  iv.  23,  24;  Ac.  x.  38);  loving 
)Jo.  xiii.  1,  xv.  13) ;  self-denying  (Mat.  viii.  20;  2  Cor.  viii.  9)  ;  humble 
(Lu.  xxii.  27 ;  Phi.  ii.  8) ;  resigned  (Lu.  xxii.  42) ;  forgiving  (xxiii.  34) ; 
subject  to  parents  (Lu.  ii.  51).  Conformity  to  this  perfect  example  (Heb. 
vii.  26)  is  needed  in  holiness  (1  Pet.  15.  16,  cf.  Ro.  i.  6) ;  righteousness 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  169 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christ,  Character. 

(1  Jo.  ii.  6) ;  purity  (iii.  3) ;  love  (Jo.  xiii.  34;  Ep.  v.  2 ;  1  Jo.  iii.  16)  ; 
humility  (Lu.  xxii.  27;  Phi.  ii.  5,  7);  meekness  and  lowliness  (Mat.  xi. 
29) ;  obedience  (Jo.  xv.  10) ;  self-denial  (Mat.  xvi.  24  ;  Ho.  xv.  3)  ;  serving 
others  (Mat.  xx.  28;  Jo.  xiii.  14,  15);  benevolence  (Ac.  xx.  35;  2  Cor. 
viii.  7,  9) ;  forgiveness  (  Col.  iii.  13) ;  overcoming  sin  (1  Pet.  iv.  1) ;  the 
•world  (Jo.  xvi.  33,  <•/'.  1  Jo.  v.  4)  ;  not  of  world  (Jo.  xvii.  16) ;  guileless 
(1  Pet.  i.  21,  22);  suffering  wrongfully  (21-23)  for  righteousness  (Heb. 
xii.  3,  4) ;  such  conformity  progressive  (2  Cor.  iii.  18),  and  predestinated 
to  saints  (Ro.  viii.  29). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Such  a  character 

in  such  a  world  as  this  a  miracle.  2.  Can  be  accounted  for  only  on  the 
assumption  of  His  Divinity.  3.  If  this  be  admitted,  then  there  is  hope  of 
salvation  through  Him. 

"  A  lowly  man — He  takes  my  sins,  and  bears  the  heavy  load ; 
A  lowly  man — He  takes  my  hand,  and  leads  me  up  the  road ; 
And  when  I  know  this  lowly  man  is  my  Creator !  God ! 
Oh,  this  hath  solved  me  much  dark  speech,  and  loosed  tongues  that 

were  dumb ! 
For  all  creation  round  me  now  a  Gospel  has  become, 
And  what  had  seemed  to  me  before  mere  wild,  confused  Babel, 
Is  now  a  fire-tongued  Pentecost,  proclaiming — Christ  is  able  I 
The  thunders,  in  the  crashing  skies,  announce  it  as  they  roll ; 
The  lightnings,  on  the  black  storm  wall,  write  it  in  vivid  scroll ; 
And  stars  repeat  it,  down  the  dark,  in  mystic  jewelled  light ; 
The  Urim  and  the  Thummim  on  the  breastplate  of  the  night ; 
And  strong  Orion  shouts  to  me  what  slumbered  in  old  fable, 
And  echoes  from  eternal  night-vaults  answer,  Able !  Able  ! 
And  comet,  cresting  bending  heavens,  waves  echo  to  the  word, 
Like  waving  wbite  plume  in  the  star-mailed  helmet  of  the  Lord  ; 
For  all  creation  its  Evangel  utters  forth  abroad, 
Into  mine  ear,  when  now  I  know  my  Saviour  Christ  is  God." 

{W.  B.  Robertson.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Study  every  line  in  the  character  of 
Christ.  2.  Make  Him  your  pattern.  3.  Seek  to  possess  the  mind  of 
Christ,  that  your  life — -whatever  its  outward  form — may,  in  its  essential 
spirit  and  principles,  resemble  His.  4.  The  imitation  of  Christ  should  be, 
not  the  copying  literally  of  certain  things  He  did,  but  the  outworking  in 
all  things  done  of  His  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.  5.  Our  life  must — in 
this  land  and  time — be  very  different  in  its  outward  form  from  Christ,  but 
it  may  be  same  in  purpose  and  spirit  (Ro.  viii.  9).  "In  the  beautiful  char- 
acter of  the  blessed  Jesus  there  was  a  more  striking  feature  than  a  certain 
sensibility,  wh.  disposed  Him  to  take  part  in  every  one's  affliction  to  wh. 
He  was  a  witness,  and  to  be  ready  to  afford  it  a  miraculous  relief.  He  was 
apt  to  be  particularly  touched  by  instances  of  domestic  distress,  in  which 
the  suffering  arises  fr.  those  feelings  of  friendship,  growing  out  of  natural 
affection  and  habitual  endearment,  which  constitute  the  perfection  of  man 
as.  a  social  creature,  and  distinguish  the  society  of  human-kind  from  tho 
instinctive  herding  of  the  lower  animals."  (Bp.  Morslcy.) 


170 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Christ,  Last  Days.~\ 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Historical.-(See  C.D.N.  T.,  180-9,  194-209.)  1.  Summary 
of  events  mentioned:  Mat.  xxi.-xxviii.  (Remember  that  ea.  Jewish 
day  is  counted  fr.  sunset  preceding.)     Nisan  9th,  Sabbath  (April  1), 

Jesus  at  Bethany,  having  prob.  en- 
tered it  ab.  sunset  of  Friday,  March 
31st.  10th,  Sunday  (April  2),  He 
publicly  enters  Jerusalem.  1 1th,  Mon- 
day (Ap.  3),  Barren  fig-tree  ;  Temple 
cleansed ;  blind  and  lame  healed ; 
children  cry  Hosanna ;  He  teaches 
in  Temple.  12th,  Tuesday  (Ap.  4); 
Fig-tree  is  withered  ;  Temple  visited, 
left,  and  dest.  of  city  foretold.  13th, 
Wednesday  (Ap.  5),  at  Bethany 
(Mat.  xxvi.  1,  2).  14th,  Thursday 
(Ap.  6),  Passover  lamb  sacrificed  ; 
preparation  of  Passover  supper;  towds. 
the  uross.  evening    Jesus    at    Jerusalem.     15th, 

(Thursday  niyht,   and)    Friday   (Ap.    7),   Last    supper;     betrayal; 

trial;  crucifixion.    16th,  Sabbath  (Ap.  8),  Jesus  in  the  tomb.    17th, 

Sunday  (Ap.  9),  Resurrection.     (See  Conder  on  Mat.,  353  ;  Smith's 

N.  T.  Hist,  291.) 

"  Oh,  day  of  days !  shall  hearts  set  free 
No  minstrel  rapture  find  for  Thee  ? 
Thou  art  the  Sun  of  other  days — 
They  shine  by  giving  back  Thy  rays."     (Keble.) 

II.  Summary  of  Events  following  Resurrection.— l.  Visit 
of  women  to  sepulchre  (Mat.  xxviii.  1  ;  Mk.  xvi.  1-4 ;  Lu.  xxiv.  1-3,  10  ; 
Jo.  xx.  1,  2).  2.  Mary  take  news  to  Peter  and  John  (Jo.  xx.  2),  who 
speaks  of  what  he  himself  had  seen.  3.  Meanwhile  the  other  women  see 
an  angel  (Mat.  xxviii.  5-8 ;  Mk.  xvi.  5,  8 ;  Lu.  xxiv.  4-8),  and  then  hasten 
off  with  the  news.  4.  Their  course  is  stayed  by  frst  app.  of  Jesus  (Mat. 
xviii.  9,  10).  5.  Peter  and  John,  having  heard  fr.  Mary,  run  to  the  sepul- 
chre (Jo.  xx.  3-10,  cf.  Lu.  xxiv.  12). 

"  Reason  and  Faith  at  once  set  out 
To  search  the  Saviour's  tomb  ; 
Faith  faster  runs,  but  waits  without, 

As  fearing  to  presume, 
Till  Reason  enter  in,  and  trace 
Christ's  relics  round  the  holy  place — 
'  Here  lay  His  limbs,  and  here  His  sacred  head  ; 
And  who  was  by,  to  make  His  new- forsaken  bed  ? ' 

Both  wonder — one  believes.     But  while 

They  muse  on  all  at  home, 
No  thought  can  tender  Love  beguile 

From  Jesus'  trrave  to  roam. 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  171 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION*  [Christ,  Last  Days. 

Weeping,  she  stays  till  He  appear — 
Her  witness  first  the  Church  must  hear  : 
All  joy  to  souls  that  can  rejoice 
With  her  at  earliest  call  of  His  dear  gracious  voice."    (Kchle.) 
6.  Peter  and  John  having  returned,  Jesus  makes  the  second  app.  to  Mary 
(Mk.  xvi.  9-11  ;  Jo.  xx.  11-18).     7.  Aft.  this  He  appeared  the  third  time, 
to  Peter  (Lu.  xxiv.  34,  cf.  1  Cor.  xv.  5).    8.  In  the  course  of  the  day  two 
of  the  disciples  set  out  to  walk  to  Emmaus,  when  the  fourth  app.  was  mado 
to  them  (Mk.  xvi.  14  ;  Lu.  xxiv.   34),  and  they  hastened  hack.     9.  And 
found  the  apostles,  except  Thomas,  at  their  evening  meal.     To  them  he 
made  His  fi.fi h  app.  (Mk.  xvi.  14-18;   Lu.  xxiv.  36-49;  Jo.  xx.   19-23; 
1  Cor.  xv.  5),  heing  the  last  on  the  day  of  resurrection.    10.  The  apostles 
being,  aft.  a  week,  again  assembled  (Nisan  24th — April  16th — Sunday). 
Jesus  made  His  sixth  app.  (Jo.  xx.  24-29)  ;  aft.  wh.  the  apostles  went  into 
Galilee  (Mat.  xxviii.  16),  where,  11,  the  seventh  app.  was  made  to  7  of 
them  by  the  Lake  (Jo.  xxi.  1-24) ;  and,  12th,  the  eighth  app.  to  11  of  them 
on  a  mountain  (Mat.  xxviii.   16,  17),  and  prob.  to  500  disciples,  who  at 
that  time  were  with  the  apostles  (1  Cor.  xv.  6,  cf.  Mat.  xxvi.  32).    13.  The 
ninth  app.  was  to  James  (1  Cor.  xv.  7,    cf.   Gal.  ii.  9).      14.  The  tenth 
and  last  on  occ.  of  ascension  (Mk.  xvi.  19;  Lu.  xxiv.  50,  53;  Ac.  i.  1-12). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — 1.  Resurrection  of 
Jesus  proved  beyond  controversy  (Ac.  x.  40,  41).  [The  testimony  of 
apostles,  etc.,  proved  to  be  superior  to  any  that  might  have  been  furnished 
by  public  display  of  risen  Saviour,  by  Bp.  Horsley,  Sermons  on  fiesurrection."] 
2.  Even  His  enemies  admitted  it,  and,  inadvertently,  aided  the  demonstra- 
tion (Mat.  xxviii.  13).  Why  did  not  the  Sanhedrim  arrest  the  disciples, 
and  compel  them  to  surrender  the  body  ?  3.  Note  the  unchanged  tender- 
thoughtfulness  of  Jesus  in  app.  specially  to  Mary,  Peter,  Thomas.  4.  Resur- 
rection of  Jesus,  the  historic  corner-stone  of  doctrine  of  resurrection 
(1  Cor.  xv.  13,  16-20  ;  1  Pet.  i.  3). 

"  Rejoice  !  O  Christendom,  rejoice  ! 
Dry  every  tear,  and  lift  your  voice 

In  songs  of  praise  alone. 
Forget  the  past,  and  look  on  high, — 
There  leads  the  road  from  Calvary, 

And  Christ  has  reached  the  throne. 
Cheer  up,  ye  blessed  warrior  band ! 
With  Him  in  danger,  heart  and  hand 

Ye  have  maintained  your  post. 
The  warfare  ended,  think  ye  now, 
When  majesty  adorns  His  brow 

He  will  forget  His  host  ?  "     (Tholuck.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  He  suffered  this  for  you.  2.  Take  heed 
lest  by  word  or  act  you  betray  Jesus— your  Friend  and  Saviour.  3.  Have 
you  denied  Jesus? — think  of  Peter.  Doubted  Him?— of  Thomas. 
Loved  Him  ? — of  Mary  (Heb.  xiii.  8).  4.  Do  you  mourn  departed  friends  ? 
— think  of  Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  5.  Is  death  to  you  a  King  of 
Terrors  ?— believe  in  Jesus,  the  conqueror  of  death,  then  will  you  be  able 
to  say,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?     O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  " 


172 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 


Apostles.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Table  of  Apostles,  showing  by  whom  named,  and  the  order  in 
T\h.  they  stand  {A.  G.  T.,  Mat.  x.  2)  as.  sent  (Mk.  vi.  7-13;  Lu.  ix. 
1-7);  named  (Mk.  iii.  12-19;  Lu.  vi.  13-16).     Apostle  =  messenger. 


Mat.  x.  2-4.     1   Lu.  vi.  14-16.    1  Mk.  iii.  16-19.  J       Ac.  i.  13. 

1 

Simon  Peter. 

2 

Andrew. 

James. 

3 
4 

James. 

John. 

John. 

Andrew. 

5 

Philip. 

6 

7 

Bartholomew. 

Thomas. 

Thomas. 

Bartholomew. 

8 

Matthew. 

Matthew. 

9 

James,  son  of  Alpheeus. 

10 

Lebbeus,  or 
Thaddeus. 

Simon  Zelotes. 

Thaddeus. 

Simon  Zelotes. 

11 

Simon, 
Canaanite. 

Judas,  bro.  of 
James. 

Simon, 
Canaanite. 

Judas,  bro.  of 
James. 

12 

Judas  Iscariot.                                                Vacant. 

JVofe.— All  name  Judas  last,  and  Peter  first.  Peter  is  oft.  prominent : 
speaks  in  their  name  (Mat.  xix.  27  ;  Lu.  xii.  41) ;  answers  when  all 
are  addressed  (Mat.  xvi.  16;  Mk.  viii.  29);  sometimes  addressed  as 
principal  even  among  3  favoured  ones  (Mat.  xxvi.  40  ;  Lu.  xxii.  31) ; 
addressed  by  others  as  representing  the  whole  (Mat.  xvii.  24  ;  Ac.  ii. 
37) ;  organ  of  as.  aft.  ascension  (Ac.  i.  15,  ii.  14,  iv.  8,  v.  29) ;  all  this 
accords  with  his  character,  but  does  not  show  that  he  was  destined 
to  be  the  Primate  of  the  future  Church  :  for  (1)  no  trace  of  such  pre- 
eminence is  found  in  all  epistles  of  other  apostles.  (2)  Wherever  by 
our  Lord  Himself  the  future  constitution  of  His  Church  is  all.  to,  or 
by  the  As.  its  actual  constitution,  no  hint  of  any  such  primacy  is 
given.  (3)  In  the  2  Ep.,  vth.  we  have  fr.  his  own  pen,  there  is  nothing 
for,  but  everything  against,  such  a  supposition.  Hence  "first"  (Mat, 
x.  2)  may  all.  simply  to  his  prominence,  or  his  early  calling.  (See  Alf.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Apostles.— Christ,  "the  Apostle,' 
(Heb.  iii.  1),  ordained  them  (Mk.  iii.  14;  Jo.  xv.  16) ;  gave  the  title  (Lu. 
vi.  13) ;  called  by  God  (1  Cor.  i.  1,  xii.  28 ;  Gal.  i.  1,  15,  16) ;  by  Christ 
(Mat.  x.  1 ;  Mk.  iii.  13 ;  Ac.  xx.  24 ;  Ro.  i.  5) ;  by  Holy  Ghost  (Ac.  xiii. 
2,  4) ;  unlearned  (iv.  13) ;  humble  station  (Mat.  iv.  18) ;  sent  first  to  Jew 
(Mat.  x.  5,  6)  ;  Lu.  xxiv.  47 ;  Ac.  xiii.  46) ;  aft.  to  all  nations  (Mat.  xxviii. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  173 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Apostles 

19,  20;  Mk.  xvi.  15;  2  Tim.  i.  11);  Christ  with  them  (Mat.  xxviii.  20); 
to  be  bold  (x.  27-33);  Spirit  given  (Jo.  xx.  22;  Ac.  ii.  1-4,  ix.  17);  by 
whom  guided  into  truth  (Jo.  xiv.  26,  xv.  26,  xvi.  13),  and  instructed  to 
reply  (Mat.  x.  19,  20  ;  Lu.  xii.  11,  12) ;  devoted  to  ministry  (Ac.  vi.  4,  xx. 
27) ;  were  to  be  humble  (Mat.  xx.  26,  27;  Mk.  ix.  33-37;  Lu.  xxii.  24-30) ; 
self-denying  (Mat.  x.  37-39) ;  loving  (Jo.  xv.  17).  They  were  equal  (Mat. 
xvi.  19,  cf.  xviii.  18  ;  2  Cor.  xi.  5) ;  not  of  the  world  (Jo.  xv.  19,  xvii.  16) ; 
wh.  hated  them  (Mat.  x.  22,  xxiv.  9  ;  Jo.  xv.  18 ) ;  hence  their  persecutions 
(Mat.  x.  16,  18;  Lu.  xxi.  16;  Jo.  xv.  20,  xvi.  2).  But  they  had  seen 
Christ  in  the  flesh  (Lu.  i.  2 ;  Ac.  i.  22 ;  1  Cor.  ix.  1 ;  1  Jo.  i.  1) ;  were 
witnesses  of  resurrection  and  ascension  (Lu.  xxiv.  33-41,  51;  Ac.  i.  2-9,  x. 
40,  41;  1  Cor.  xv.  8) ;  and  had  power  to  work  miracles  (Mat.  x.  1,  8  ;  Mk. 
xvi.  20  ,  Lu.  ix.  1  ;  Ac.  ii.  43). 

III.  Historical  Note.— (See  Angus's  Bible  Uand-booh;  90,  91.) 
Most  of  the  as.  seem  to  have  sealed  their  testimony  with  their  blood,  and. 
ea.  nobly  endured  the  trial.  The  foil,  facts  are  fr.  ecclesiastical  hist.,  but 
are  not  all  equally  certain.  Matthew  martyred  (by  sword)  in  Ethiopia; 
Mark,  dragged  through  streets  of  Alexandria,  died  there ;  Luke,  hanged 
on  olive-tree  in  Greece;  John,  first  put  into  caldron  of  boiling  oil,  then 
banished  to  Patmos ;  Peter,  crucified  head  downwards,  at  (?)  Rome ;  James, 
beheaded  at  Jerusalem ;  James  the  Less,  thrown  fr.  pinn.  of  temple,  and 
beaten  to  death  below;  Philip,  hanged  on  pillar  in  Phrygia;  Bartholomew, 
flayed  alive;  Andrew,  bound  to  a  cross,  when  he  preached  till  he  died; 
Thomas,  run  through  the  body  at  Coromandel  in  India  ;  Jude,  shot  to  death 
with  arrows;  Matthias,  stoned  and  then  beheaded;  Barnabas,  stoned  to 
death  by  Jews  at  Salonica ;  Paul,  "in  death  oft,"  beheaded  by  Nero  at  Home. 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  Their  social  and 
mental  qualifications,  compart d  with  results  of  their  life,  prove  the  power 
to  have  been  of  God  (1  Cor.  i.  25-31).  2.  Twelve  poor  men  acting  ace.  to 
command  of  another  poor  man,  the  regenerators  of  society,  destroyers  of 
world-renowned  and  time-honoured  institutions,  the  founders  of  what  is 
called  Christianity — the  religion  of  all  the  civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 
Can  this  be  sufficiently  accounted  for  in  any  other  way  than  on  the  ground 
of  Christ's  divinity  ?  3.  These  12,  sundered  fr.  ea.  other,  prob.  not  know- 
ing how  ea.  other  acted,  sealed  their  testimony  with  blood.  Can  this  be 
ace.  for  but  by  assuming  truth  of  their  testimony  ?  4.  These  men  left 
home  and  country  with  certain  death  before  them,  as  their  Master  had 
said,  to  publish  what  they  had  seen  and  heard.  They  must  have  believed 
their  own  testimony,  and  so  many  could  not  have  been  mistaken.  And  if 
they  were,  there  were  surely  plenty  to  be  found  at  time  able  to  refute  them 
by  an  appeal  to  facts.  5.  Blood  of  martyrs  seed  of  the  Church.  6.  Per- 
secution defeats  its  own  purpose.  Christianity  first,  and  then  Protest- 
antism, and  afterwards  Puritanism,  aided  by  the  cheerful  suffering  of 
their  adherents. 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  How  great  will  he  our  condemnation  if 
we  reject  the  Gospel,  thus  attested  by  so  many  credible  witnesses.  If 
12  credible  men  were  to  tell  us  something  of  which  they  were  eye-witnesses, 
we  should  believe  them.  2.  If  we  believe  the  Gospel,  are  we  trusting  in 
Jesus?  3.  Our  reception  of  Jesus  the  test  of  our  having  believed  the 
Word  of  God.  How  can  we  believe  the  Bible  if  we  reject  Him  who  is  "the 
truth,"  the  centre  and  sum  of  truth — the  living  answer  to  Pilate's  question  ? 

Vol.  II.— 12 


174  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Peter  and  the  Jews.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Biographical.— 1.  Name:  Peter,  Uerpos,  Gk.  for  Aramaic 
Cephas  =  a  stone  (Mat.  xvi.  16-19  ;  Mk.  iii.  16  ;  Jo.  i.  42).  His 
original  name  was  Simon  =  hearer.     The  two  names  are  oft.  com- 


Syrian  Cock. 
bined  in  Simon  Peter.  2.  Country  and  call  :  Of  Bethsaida,  in 
Galilee,  where,  as  the  son  of  Jona  (Mat  xvi.  17  ;  Jo.  i.  43,  xxi.  16), 
he  pursued  his  calling  of  fisherman  (Mat.  iv.  18  ;  Lu.  v.  1-7  ;  Jo.  i. 
44).  He  and  his  bro.  Andrew  were  partners  of  John  and  James, 
sons  of  Zebedee.  These  4  had  become  disc,  of  John  Baptist  (Jo.  i.  35); 
and  Andrew,  having  himself  believed  in  Jesus,  brought  his  bro. 
Peter  to  the  Lord  (40,  41),  bv  whom  he  was  aftwds.  formally  called 
(Mat.  iv.  18-20;  Mk.  i.  16-18;  Lu.  v.  1-11).  3.  Events  of  life: 
Miraculous  draught  of  fishes  (Lu.  v.  1-11,  refs ) ;  wife's  mother 
restored  (Mat.  viii.  14;  Mk.  i.  29,  30;  Lu.  iv.  38);  finds  Jesus 
(Mk.  i.  36,  37) ;  chosen  an  apostle  (Mat.  x.  2,  xvi.  18,  19;  Mk.  iii. 
16;  Lu.  vi.  14;  Ac.  i.  13)  ;  asks  explanation  of  parable  (Lu.  xii.  41) ; 
complains  of  people  (viii.  45)  :  at  raising  of  Jairus'  dau.  (Mk.  v.  37  ; 
Lu.  v.  51);  walks  on  water  (Mat  xiv.  28-31);  inquires  ab.  ments 
(Mat.  xv.  15).  His  confession  of  Christ  (Mat  xvi.  16-19;  Mk.  viii. 
29;  Lu  ix.  20;  Jo.  vi.  68,  69).  Rebuked  bv  Jesus  (Mat.  xvi.  22,  23  ; 
Mk.  viii.  32,  33).  At  the  Transfiguration' (Mat  xvii.  1-4;  Mk.  ix. 
2-6;  Lu.  ix.  28-33;  2  Pet.  i.  16-18).  Tribute-money  (Mat.  xvii. 
24-27).  Asks  ab.  forgiveness  (xviii.  21).  Had  left  all  for  Jesus  (xix. 
27;  Mk.  x.  28;  Lu.  xviii.  28).  Withered  fig-tree  (Mk.  xi.  21). 
Asks  about  Christ's  coming  (Mk.  xiii.  3,  4).  Sent  with  Jo.  to  pre- 
pare Passover  (Lu.  xxii.  8).  Feet  washing  (Jo.  xiii.  6-11).  Asks 
who  should  betray  Christ  (24).  His  fall  foretold  (Mat.  xxvi.  33-35  ; 
Mk.  iv.  29  31;  Lu!  xxii.  31-34  ;  Jo.  xiii.  36-38).  Asleep  in  Gethsomane 
(Mat.  xxvi.  36-46 ;  Mk.  xiv.  33-42 ;  Lu.  xxii.  40-46).  Ear  of 
Malchus  (Jo.  xviii.  10,  11,  26  ;  Mat  xxvi.  51,  54  ;  Mk.  xiv.  47  ;  Lu. 
xxii.  50,  51).  Follows  Christ  afar  off  (Mat  xxvi.  58;  Mk.  xiv.  54; 
Lu  xxiv.  54;  Jo.  xviii.  15).  in  the  palace  (16).  Denies  Christ,  and  re- 
pents (Mat.  xxvi.  69-75  ;  Mk.  xiv.  66-72  ;  Lu.  xxii.  55-62  ;  Jo.  xviii. 
17,  18,  25-27).  At  the  sepulchre  (Lu  xxiv.  12  ;  Jo.  xx.  2-6).  Mes- 
sage fr.  Christ  (Mk.  xvi.  17) ;  app  of  Christ  (Lu.  xxiv.  34) ;  again 


TOPICS    FOE    TEACHEKS.  175 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Peter  and  the  Jews. 

at  Sea  of  Galilee  (Jo.  xxi.  1-23;  2  Pet.  i.  14);  at  Jerusalem  (Ac.  i. 
13-22);  at  Pentecost  (ii.  14-40);  cures  lame  man,  etc.  (iii.)  ;  before 
the  Sanhedrim  (iv.  1-22)  ;  Ananias  and  Sapphira  (v.  1-11).  Miracles 
(12-16).  Imprisoned  (17-42).  Samaria:  Simon  Magus  (viii.  14-25); 
meets  Paul  (Gal.  i.  18,  ii.  9).  Lydda  :  yEneas  (Ac.  ix.  32-34). 
Joppa:  Dorcas  (36-43).  Vision  at  Joppa  (x.  9  16, xi.  1-17).  Cacsarea  : 
Cornelias  (x.  1 7- IS).  Defence  at  Jerusalem  (xi.  1-18) ;  imprisoned 
(xii.  3-19)  at  Antioch  ;  meets  Paul  (Gal.  ii.  11-16,  cf.  2  Pet.  iii.  15). 

II.  Traditional  History.—"  A  few  scattered  hints  may  he  gleaned 
fr.  the  Epistles.  For  rest  of  life,  we  are  left  to  tradition.  We  are  told 
that  he  left  Jerusalem  early,  founded  and  presided  over  a  church  at 
Antioch  ;  that  he  aftwds.  went  to  Rome,  where  he  once  more  met  and 
cm  founded  Simon  Magus  ;  that  he  was  long  time  Bp.  at  Rome  ;  that  he 
visited  the  E  again,  planted  many  churches  in  the  West;  and  at  length. 
was  martyred,  with  Paul,  at  Rome,  heing  crucified  with  his  head  down- 
wards. It  is  clear  that  he  was  martyred,  and  by  same  kind  of  death  as 
Christ  f  Jo.  xxi.  18,  19),  and  it  may  have  happened  at  Rome.  Tertullian 
(\.d.  197),  Dionysius  of  Corinth,  Caius  the  Rom.  presbyter,  etc.,  report 
it ;  some  of  them  mentioning  memorials  of  the  fact  wh.  they  say  existed 
in  their  times.  And  though  some  of  these  authors  were  credulous,  and 
unreliable,  yet,  as  Wieseler  observes,  if  Peter  had  suffered  in  any  other  city, 
we  may  feel  certain  that  the  church  of  that  city  would  have  claimed 
honour  as  the  scene  of  the  martyrdom  of  so  famous  an  apostle.  The 
conclusion  of  the  whole  argument  for  and  against  Peter's  suffering  at 
Rome,  is  a  possibility  that  it  may  have  been  so  ;  and  that,  if  Peter  was 
martyred  at  Rome  near  the  time  of  Paul's  martyrdom,  in  the  Neronian 
persecution,  yet  it  could  not  have  been  till  at,  or  aft.,  the  close  of  Paul's 
life  that  Peter  visited  the  imperial  city. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious   Suggestions. — 1.  His  call.     A 

working  man  at  his  work.  A  healthy,  laborious  calling.  Such  a  man 
fitted  for  the  higher  work.  God  does  not  need  the  services  of  lazy 
men.  2.  His  self-denial.  "  We  have  left  all" — his  home,  friends,  calling 
— for  what  ?  Who  had  heard  of  Peter  if  he  had  not  followed  Christ  ? 
3.  His  impulsiveness.  Many  instances  ;  as  walking  on  the  water,  cutting 
off  Malehus'  ear.  4.  His  fall.  By  him  unforeseen, — then  regarded  as 
impossible.  Men  know  not  the  possibilities  of  their  own  hearts  either  for 
good  or  evil.     5.  His  repentance. 

"  What  language  in  that  look !     Swifter  than  thought 
The  apostle's  eye  it  caught  ; 
And  sank  into  his  very  soul. 
Through  every  vein  a  thrilling  tremor  crept ; 
Away  he  stole  and  wept — bitterly  he  wept."     (E.  B.  Browning.) 
6.  His  nolle  confession  (Ac.  x.  34,  35).  Surrender  of  prejudices  to  will  of  God- 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Be  faithful  in  little  things.  2.  Be  not 
Bclf-confident,  or  boastful.  3.  God  can  make  small  things  arouse  memory, 
and  stir  conviction.  4.  Many  things  in  the  past  might  bring  us  to  re- 
pentance, could  we  only  remember  them  at  the  right  time.  5.  How 
merciful  was  Jesus  to  the  friend  who  denied  Him.     Are  we  forgiving  ? 


176 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Paul  and  the  Gentiles.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Chiistian 


I.  Chronological  Note.— {Conybeare  and  How  son,  ii.  665.) 
P.'s  conversion  ?  (a.d.  36)  at  Damascus  ?  (37);  flight  from  Damascus  ? 

~  ;  preaches  in  Syria  and  Cilicia  ?  (39-43) ;  Antioch,  Ac.  xi.  26 
(44-47);  1st  journey  fr.  and  back  to 
Antioch  (48-49)  ;  at  the  Jerusalem 
Council  (50) ;  2nd  journey  fr.  Antioch 
to  Cilicia,  Lycaonia,  Galatia  (51);  Troas, 
Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Beraea,  Athens, 
Corinth — writes  1  Thes.    (52) ;  Corinth 

D^    — writes  2  Thes.  (53)  ;  leaves  Corinth, 
__  y     Jerusalem,  Antioch:  3rd  journey, Ephc- 
_    __    sus  (54),  Ephesus  (55-56);  writes  1  Cor.; 
leaves    Ephesus  for  Macedonia;  writes 
2    Cor.,    Corinth;    writes    Gal     (57); 
writes  Rom.,  leaves  Corinth,   Philippi, 
_^L— —=—~—  Miletus,  Jerusalem,  Csesarea  (58)  ;  Ca?- 

sarea  (59);  on  way  to  Rome  shipwrecked 
Window  on  the  Wall.  at  Malta    (60) ;  "Rome    (61).     Rome— 

writes  Phil,  Col,  Sph.,  Phi.  (62) ;  acquitted.  Macedonia  (Phi.  ii.  21) 
and  (Phil.  22)  A.  Minor  (63)  ?  Spain  (64-65)  ;  fr.  ?  Spain  to  A. 
Minor  (1  Tim.  i.  3)  (66);  writes  1  Tim.  fr.  Macedonia;  writes  Titus 
fr.  Ephesus,  Nicopolis  (67).  In  prison  at  Ro.;  writes  2  Tim.  Executed 
(in  May  or  June)  (68). 

II.  Bible  References.— Called  Saul  and  Paul  (Ac.  xiii.  9) ; 
prob.  as  Origen  thinks,  he  had  double  name  given  at  circumcision — 
Saul  ref.  to  Jewish  extraction,  Paul  to  Rom.  corporation  where  he 
was  born  (Cave's  Lives  ofApos.)  Tr.  of  Benjamin  (Phi.  hi.  5) ;  pure 
extraction  (2  Cor.  xi.  22)  ;  Pharisee  (Ac.  xxii.  3,  xxiii.  6  ;  Phi.  iii.  5; 
Gal.  i.  14)  of  Tarsus  (Ac.  ix.  11,  xxi.  39,  xxii.  3;  Ro.  citizen  (xvi. 
37,  xxii.  25-28);  pupil  of  Gamaliel  (3,  xxvi.  4) ;  tentmaker  (xviii.  3, 
xx.  34;  1  Cor.  iv.  12;  1  Thes.  ii.  9,  ii.,  iii.  8);  at  Stephen's  death 
(Ac.  vii.  ^8,  viii.  1,  xxii.  20);  conversion  (viii.  1-4,  ix.  1-9,  13,  14,  21, 
xxii.  4-11,  19,  xxvi.  9-15  ;  Gal.  i.  13;  1  Tim.  i.  13  ;  1  Cor.  ix.  1,  xv. 
8).  (For  remainder  of  life,  see  rest  of  Acts,  and  com.  with  above 
dates.     C.  D.  N.  T,  222-285.) 

III.  Biographical  Notes. — 1.  Education:  Gamaliel.  Two  great 
Rabbinical  schools — Hillel  and  Scharnmai.  Both  Pharisaic ;  the  former 
held  tradition  above  law,  the  latter  despised  traditionists  when  they  clashed 
with  Moses.  That  of  Hillel  the  most  influential,  and  its  greatest  ornament 
was  G-iunaliel  (Ac.  v.  34-40,  xxii.  3),  the  grandson  of  the  founder.  His 
learn  ing  was  so  eminent,  and  his  character  so  revered,  that  he  is  one  of 
the  who  alone  of  Jewish  doctors  are  honoured  with  title  of  "  Rabban." 
As  Aquinas,  of  the  schoolmen,  was  called  Doctor  Angelicus,  and  Bonaven- 
tura  Doctor  Seraphicus,  so  Gamaliel  was  called  the  "Beauty  of  the  Law." 
1;  is  a  saying  of  Talmud  that  "  Since  Rabban  Gamaliel  died,  the  glory  of 
the  law  has  ceased."     He  died  a  Jew,  18  yrs.  bef.  destr.  of  Jerusalem,  ab. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACnERS.  177 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Paul  and  the  Gentiles. 

time  of  Paul's  shipwreck.  Another  of  his  pupils,  Onkelos,  the  author  of 
the  famous  Targum,  raised  to  him  such  a  funeral  pile  of  rich  materials  as 
had  never  before  been  known,  except  at  the  burial  of  a  king  (C.  and  H.,  i. 
GO-71).  -.  Personal  Air,  :  Many  anc.  sources  all  agree  that  p.  was  of 
short  stature,  bad  a  long  face  with  high  forehead,  an  aquiline  nose,  close 
and  bushy  eyebrows.  <  Ither  features  are  baldness,  grey  eyes  (said  to  have 
been  vreak),  clear  complexion,  winning  expression.  3.  Character:  "His 
speeches  and  letters  convey  to  us,  as  we  read  them,  the  truest  impressions 
of  those  qualities  wh.  helped  to  make  him  the  great  apostle.  We  see  the 
warmth  and  ardour  of  his  nature,  his  deeply  affectionate  disposition,  the 
tenderness  of  his  sense  of  honour,  the  courtesy  and  personal  dignity  of  his 
bearing,  his  perfect  fearlessness,  his  heroic  endurance  ;  we  perceive  the 
rare  combination  of  subtlety,  tenacity,  and  versatility  in  his  intellect ;  we 
perceive,  also,  a  practical  wisdom  wh.  we  should  have  associated  with  a 
cooler  temperament,  and  a  tolerance  wh.  is  seldom  united  with  such 
impetuous  convictions.  And  the  principle  wh.  harmonized  all  these 
endowments,  and  directed  them  to  a  practical  end,  was,  beyond  dispute,  a 
knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  iu  the  Divine  Spirit.  Personal  allegiance  to 
Christ  as  to  a  living  master,  with  a  growing  insight  into  the  relation  of 
Christ  to  ea.  man  and  to  the  world,  carried  the  apostle  forwards  on  a 
straight  course  through  every  vicissitude  of  personal  fortunes,  and  amid 
the  various  habits  of  thought  wh.  he  had  to  encounter.  The  conviction 
that  he  had  been  entrusted  with  a  Gospel  concerning  a  Lord  and  Deliverer 
of  men  was  what  sustained  and  purified  his  love  for  his  own  people,  whilst 
it  created  in  him  such  a  love  for  mankind  that  he  only  knew  himself  as 
the  servant  of  others  for  Christ's  sake.  Those  who  judge  St.  Paul  as  they 
would  judge  any  other  remarkable  man,  confess  him  unanimously  to  have 
been  "one  of  the  greatest  spirits  of  all  time;"  while  those  who  believe 
him  to  have  been  appointed  by  the  Lord  of  mankind,  and  inspired  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  to  do  a  work  in  the  world  of  almost  unequalled  importance, 
are  lost  in  wonder  as  they  study  the  gifts  with  wh.  he  was  endowed  for 
that  work,  and  the  devotion  with  wh.  he  gave  himself  to  it."   (S.  B.  D.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  The  conversion 
and  call  to  the  apostolate  of  such  a  man,  at  such  a  time,  in  such  a  way, 
for  such  a  work,  a  remarkable  illustration  of  the  grace  and  wisdom  of  God. 

"  As  to  Thy  last  apostle's  heart 
Thy  lightning  glance  did  then  impart 

Zeal's  never-dying  fire, 
So  teach  us  on  Thy  shrine  to  lay 
Our  hearts,  and  let  them  day  by  day 

Intenser  blaze,  and  higher."  (Keble.) 

2.  The  previous  aims,  training,  and  character  of  p.  remove  all  doubt  as  to 
the  reality  of  his  conversion,  as  do  his  future  career  any  questioning  of  tho 
sincerity  of  his  convictions.     (See  Ld.  Lyttelton  on  Conver.  of  St.  Paul.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Adore  the  wisdom  in  furnishing  His  per- 
secuted Church  and  the  infant  cause  of  Christ  with  such  a  man.  2.  It  is 
hard  for  the  persecutor  to  resist  the  truth,  and  fight  against  God.  3.  The 
conversion  of  the  hardest  heart  possible  with  God.  4.  He  whom  we  fight 
against  is  ready  to  save  us. 


178  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Bible—  Historical  Books.']  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive. — 1.    List   of   Bks.    Fr.    Joshua  to  Nehemiah. 

(1)  Joshua  :  so  called  fr.  the  leader  whose  life  it  relates.  (2)  Judges: 
fr.  its  being  hist,  of  non-regal  rulers  fr.  Josh,  to  Eli.  (3)  Ruth: 
form.  pt.  of  Bk.  of  Judges,  life  of  Ruth.  (4)  Samuel,  1st  and  2nd 
form,  one  Bk.,  called  in  LXX.  and  Vulg.  1st  and  2nd  Bk.  of  Kings. 
(5)  Kings,  1st  and  2nd,  form,  but  one  Bk.,  called  in  LXX.  and  Vulg. 
3rd  and  4th  Bks.  of  Kings.  (6)  Chron.  1st  and  2nd,  form,  one  Bk. 
by  Jews,  who  called  them  "  words  of  Days,"  i.e.  diaries  or  journals ; 
called  in  LXX.  Paraleipomenon,  "of  things  omitted,"  i e.  supplemen- 
tary. (7)  Ezra,  and  (n)  Nehemiah,  form,  one  Bk.,  called  1st  and 
2nd  of  Ezra;  still  called  by  Rom.  Cath.  writers  1st  and  2nd  Bks.  of 
Esdras.  (9)  Esther :  fr.  the  Jewess  whose  history  it  relates.  As 
placed  in  A.  v.,  they  make  12  Bks.,  reckoned  by  Jews  as  six,  classing 
Ruth  with  Judges,  Nehemiah  with  Ezra,  and  numbering  Bks.  of 
Sam.,  Kin.,  Chron.,  respectively  as  one.  2.  Authorship  :  Some 
bear  name  of  prophets,  the  rest  attributed  to  writers  of  official  distn. ; 
annals  of  Heb.  nation  were  kept  by  authorized  writers,  expressly 
called  prophets  and  seers.  [For  example :  Hist,  of  David,  w.  by 
Sam.,  Nathan,  and  Gad  (1  Ch.  xxix.  29);  of  Solomon,  by  Nathan, 
Abijah,  and  Iddo  (2  Ch.  ix.  29) ;  of  Rehoboa?n,  by  Shemaiah  and 
Iddo  (2  Ch.  xii.  15) ;  see  also  xx.  34,  xxvi.  22,  xxxii.  33  ;  1  K.  xvi. 
1.]  (1)  Joshua  composed  of  material  supplied  prob.  by  Josh,  him- 
self, with  2  or  3  additions  by  later  writer.  This  apps.  fr.  (a)  tenor 
of  the  Bk.  (it  is  narrative  of  contemp.  and  eye-witness,  v.  1,  vi.  25)  ; 
(b)  from  xxiv.  26;  (c)  fr.  character  of  Josh,  as  instructor,  etc.  (1  K. 
xvi.  34  ;  Jos.  vi.  26)  ;  and  (d)  fr.  uniform  Jewish  traditions.  It  was 
written  bef.  days  of  Dav.  and  Sol.  (xv.  63,  cf.  2  S.  v.  7-9,  and  xvi. 
10,  cf.  1  K.  ix.  16)  :  additions,  xix.  47  (Jud.  xviii.  27-9,  xv.  13,  19, 
cf.  Jud.  i.  11-16,  and  xxiv.  29-33).  (2)  Judges,  uncertain  :  Asc.  to 
Sam.  by  Jewish  tradition;  written  aft.  com.  of  monarchy  (xix.  1, 
xxi.  25),  and  bef.  ace.  ofDav.  (i.  21,  2  S.  v.  6-8).  It  is  alluded  to  or 
quoted  by  the  sac.  writers  (1  S.  xii.  9-11 ;  2  S.  xi.  21 ;  Ps.  lxxxiii.  ]], 
lxviii.,  lxxxix. ;  Is.  ix.  4,  x.  26).  (3)  Ruth,  uncertain;  gen.  asc.  to 
Sam.  (quoted  Mat.  i.  5 ;  Lu.  iii.  32).  (4)  Samuel,  uncertain  ;  weight 
of  evidence  favours  Sam.  as  author  of  i.-xxiv.,  and  Nathan  and  Gad 
1  Ch.  xxix.  29.  (5)  Kings,  uncertain ;  prob.  written  by  sev.  proph. 
as  memories  of  their  own  times,  and  aft.  compiled  by  Jeremiah  or 
Ezra.  (6)  Chronicles,  gen.  asc.  to  Ezra,  but  1  Ch.  iii.  19-24,  must 
have  been  by  later  hand.  (7)  Esther,  per.  by  Mordecai,  but  more 
prob.  it  is  an  extract  fr.  records  of  Persia  ;  hence  omis.  of  name  of 
God.  (8)  Nehemiah,  part  compiled  bv  Nth.  (vii.  5,  6-73,  and  xii. 
1-26);  rest  written  by  him  (i.  7,  xii.  27-43,  xiii.  6  31).  (9)  Ezra, 
writ,  by  E.  himself  (vii.  27,  28,  viii.  1,  25-29,  ix.  5).  3.  Scope: 
(1)  Joshua,  25  yrs.  Conquest  of  Canaan  (i. -xii.) ;  division  of  Canaan 
(xiii.-xxii.) ;  Joshua's  last  words  and  death  (xxiii.,  xxiv.)  (2)  Judges, 
309  yrs.  Completion  of  conquest,  7  servitudes,  13  judges.    (3)  Ruth, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  179 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Bible-Historical  Books. 

hist  of  events  of  ab.  middle  of  Judges,  or  bef.  1318  B.C.,  268G  A.M. ; 
Bp.   Patrick  Bays   ab.    time   of  Gibeon — i.  e.   1245  B.C.,   2759  A.M. 

(4)  Samuel,  lst"Bk.  ab.  100  yrs.  (ace.  to  Home,  80  yrs.),  fr.  birth  of 
Sam.,  1155  B  c,  to  death  of  Saul,  1055  B.C.  Events  during  time  of 
Eli,  Sam.,  and  Saul,  and  life  of  Dav.  in  time  of  Saul.  2nd  Bk.  near 
40  yrs.,  1055-1017  B.C.:  triumphs,  troubles,  and  restoration   of  Dav. 

(5)  Kings.  1st  Bk.,  120  yrs.,  1015-889  B.C.  Death  of  Dav.,  reign  of 
Sol.,  revolt  of  10  tribes  ;  hist,  of  Israel  and  Judah  to  time  of 
Jehoshaphat.  2nd  Bk.,  300  yrs.,  to  destr.  of  Jerusalem,  cap.  of 
Israel  and  Judah.  (6)  Chronicles,  3468  yrs.:  1st  Bk.,  2988  yrs.; 
abstract  of  whole  sac.  hist,  to  Dav.  2nd  Bk.,  480  yrs. ;  Sol.  and 
kings  of  Judah  to  cap. ;  two  last  verses  belong  to  Ezra,  wh.  should 
begin  with  them.  (7)  Ezra,  79  yrs.;  fr.  edict  of  Cyrus,  536  B.C., 
return  fr.  cap.  under  Zerubbabel,  rebuilding  of  temple,  gov.  of  Ezra. 
(8)  Ab.  36  yrs. ;  con.  of  hist,  in  Bk.  of  Ezra,  hist,  of  gov.  of  Nehe- 
raiah.  (9)  Esther,  ab.  20  yrs.;  this  book  comes  betw.  vi.  and  vii.  of 
Ezra.  [Scrip,  hist,  closes  with  Bk.  of  Xehemiah.  For  Jewish  hist. 
fir.  420  B.C.  to  70  A.D.,  see  Maccabees  and  Josephus.'] 

II.  Occasional  Notes. — 1.  Bible  (fr. /3t/3Xo?  =  book)  =  the  book 
(2  Tim.  iii.  16 ;  Jo.  v.  39),  cont.  66  Bks.  (2  Cor.  iii.  6,  14) :  o.  t.  39  Bks., 
cont.  4  classes:  (1)  Bks.  of  Law;  (2)  Hist.  Bks.;  (3)  Poetical  Bks.; 
(4)  Prophetical  Bks.  n.  t.  27  Bks.,  by  8  writers,  cont.  (1)  Hist.; 
(2)  Epis. ;  (3)  Prophecy.  2.  Pentateuch  (fr.  n^vre,  Jive,  and  rev^o?, 
volume)  (Gen.,  Exod.,  Lev.,  Num.,  Deut.)  3.  Septuagint  {seventy).  The 
Old  Test,  trans,  in  Gk.,  so  called  because  made  by  seventy-two  elders  (b.c. 
286),  at  instance  of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  k.  of  Egypt  ("  an  exploded 
story" — Bp.  Marsh);  or,  more  prob.,  because  approved  of  Sanhedrim 
(wh.  consist,  of  72  persons).  This  version  is  written  thus — LXX.  All 
quotations  in  n.  t.  out  of  o.  t.  are  fr.  this  version.  4.  Vulgate  :  Lat. 
trans,  of  LXX.  only  one  allowed  by  Ch.  of  Ro.,  declared  authentic  by 
Council  of  Trent  (1563  a.d.)  5.  a.  v.  =  authorized  version,  made  by  47  per- 
sons div.  into  6  parties,  of  wh.  2  sat  at  Oxford,  2  at  Cambridge,  2  at  West- 
minster.    Begun  1607,  finished  and  printed  1611  a.d. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— l.  Mercy  of  God  in 

granting  a  revelation  of  His  will  to  man.     2.  Wisdom  in  presenting  His 
will  concerning  morals  and  religion  in  attractive  form  of  hist.,    biog., 
poetry,  etc.     3.  Bible  hist,  the  oldest,  most  authentic,  and  important  in 
the  woild.    4.  The  central  idea — Redemption.    5.  Chief  personage — Jesus. 
6.  All  Bib.  hist,  points  to  and  centres  in  Him. 
"  The  Bible !  hast  thou  ever  heard 
Of  such  a  book  ? — the  author,  God  Himself ; 
The  subject,  God  and  man,  salvation,  bfe 
And  death— eternal  life,  eternal  death."'  (Pollok.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.—  1.  Search  the  Scriptures.  2.  Read  them, 
as  far  as  poss.,  in  their  chronological  order.  3.  Mark  their  relation  to  the 
n.  t.  4.  Note  the  gradual  unfolding  of  plan  of  redemption.  5.  See 
Christ  in  the  whole  Bible,  and  in  each  part. 


180  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Bible— Poetical  Books.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive.— Poetical  Bks.,  or  Doctrinal  Bks.,  are  also 
called  Hayrographa  (fr.  ayios—  holy,  and  yparprj  -  a  writing)  =  holy- 
writings.  Cont.  Job,  Psalms,  Proverbs,  Ecclesiastes,  Song  of  Solo- 
mon. 1.  Authorship.  (1)  Job.  Prob.  by  Job,  q.  v.,  himself,  and 
aftwds.  transcribed  by  Moses.  (2)  Psalms.  Auam  ?  (xcii.)  Mel- 
chizedec  ?  David  (cxix.)  Moses  (xc.-xcix.)  Asaph,  1  Ch.  vi.  39, 
xvi.  4,  5,  xxv.  2,  9  (1.,  lx.xiii.-lxxxiii.)  David  wrote  71  Pss.  (ace.  to 
Calmet  72  ;  ace.  to  LXX.  82).  Ethan,  1  Ch.  ii.  6  (lxxxix.)  He- 
man  (lxxxviii.)  Jeduthun,  1  Ch.  xxv.  1  fxxxix.,  lxii.,  lxxvii.) 
Solomon  (lxxii.,  exxvii.)  Sons  of  Korah  (xlii  -xlix.  and  Ixxxiv.- 
Ixxxviii.)  ;  in  addition  are  30  anonvmous,  of  wh.  Jeremiah?  and 
Ezekiel  ?  (Ixiv.),  Haggai  ?  and  Zechariah  ?  (cxi.,  cxlv.),  Jeremiah  ? 
(exxxvi.)  (3)  Proverbs,  Solomon.  (4)  Ecclesiastes,  or  the  Preacher, 
Solomon  at  close  of  his  career,  and  aft.  his  reformation  (5)  Sony  by 
Solomon.  2.  Scope  (1)  Job,  q.  v.  (2)  Psalms,  collection  of  hymns 
or  sac.  songs.  Compend  of  theology  (Basil,  Pp.  Hall).  Manual 
of  devotion  ;  an  epitome  of  Bible  (Lather).  Full  of  inspiration, 
prophecy,  prayer,  thanksgiving.  Usually  div.  into  5  parts  [Bk.  I. 
fr.  Ps.  i.  ;  II.  fr.  xlii. ;  III.  fr.  lxxiii.  ;  IV.  fr.  xc.  ;  V.  fr.  cvii.] ; 
first  4  end  with  Amen,  last  with  Hallelujah.  Heb.  title  =  "  praises  "  ; 
the  English  (taken  fr.  LXX.)  =  odes  adapted  to  music  \|/-(iAAo>),  to 
strike  a  chord).  There  is  a  noted  dif.  betw.  the  several  bks.  in  their 
use  of  words  Jehovah  and  Elohim  =  Almighty  God.  Bk.  I. — Jehovah 
occurs  272  times;  Elohim  15.  Bk.  II. — Elohim  5  times  as  oft.  as 
Jehovah.  Bk.  III. — Elohim  most  freq.  at  the  beginning,  Jehovah 
at  the  end.  Bk.  IV.  Jehovah  exclusively/.  Bk.  V. — Elohim  twice 
only.  Hence  the  several  Pss.  are  called  Jehovistic  or  Elohistic.  (See 
also  Poetry.)  Of  the  Pss.  Milton  says,  "  JN'ot  in  their  Divine  argu- 
ments alone,  but  in  the  very  critical  art  of  composition,  they  may^  be 
easily  made  to  appear  over  all  the  kinds  of  lyric  poesy  incomparable." 
They  are  quoted  in  N.T.  above  70  times.  (3)  Proverbs.  Prob.  collected 
fr.  the  3,000  asc.  to  Sol.  maxims  of  experience ;  applicable  to  every 
one,  socially  and  politically  ;  relate  to  education  of  children,  and  gov. 
of  families,  cities,  states  (1  K.  iv.  32,  33).  (4)  Ecclesiastes.  Peni- 
tential discourse,  in  wh.,  fr.  sad  experience,  Sol.  endeavours  to  show 
canity  of  earthly  pursuits,  and  insufficiency  of  earthly  enjoyments. 
Doctrine  of  final  retribution  the  basis  of  this  bk.,  and  practical  re- 
ligion its  leading  truth.  (Pinnock.)  (5)  Sony.  Supposed  to  be  a 
mystical  allegory,  shadowing  the  future  intimate  connexion  betw. 
Christ  and  His  Church,  under  the  endearing  relation  of  a  bridegroom 
and  his  bride  (Ep.  v.  23,  24,  32  ;  Rev.  xxi.  2,  9)  It  is  in  7  parts, 
amounting  to  7  days  of  Jewish  marriage  feast.    (Pinnock.) 

II.  Occasional  Note. — 1.  ApocRYPHA^n-oK^n-rco,  to  hide),  so  called 
because  not  read  openly  as  part  of  canonical  Scriptures.  They  "are  read 
tor  example  and  instruction  of  manners,  but  yet  the  Church  doth  not 
apply  them  to  establish  any  doctrine."    ( Words  of  St.  Jerome  in  Art.  VI.  of 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  181 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Bible-I'velical  Boots. 

Bug.  Ch.)  By  Council  of  Trent,  the  Rom.  Cath.  Ch.  admits  them  as 
canonical.  2.  Canon,  a  straight  rod,  Gk.  ;  hence  a  rule  or  law  (Gal.  vi. 
16  ;  Phi.  iii.  1G)  applied  fr.  time  of  Origen  to  Lks.  of  Divine  authority. 
Bible  is  authoritative  standard  of  religion  and  morality.  3.  Masorah  a 
grammatico-critical  comment,  on  o.  t.,  design  of  wh.  was  to  give  correct 
reading  of  text  in  respect  of  words,  vowels,  accents,  etc.,  so  as  to  preserve  it 
fr.  corruption.  Masoretie  Notes.  Bks. — o.t.  39;  n  t.  27.  Chapters — o.t.  929; 
n.t.  260.  Verses—  O.T.  23,214;  n.t.  7,959.  Words— o.  t.  592,439 ;  n  t. 
181,253.  Letters— o.t.  2,728,100  ;  n.t.  838,3S0.  Mid.  Id:— o.t.  Proverhs; 
n.t.  2  Thes.  Mid.  cap. — o.t.  Job  xxix.  ;  n.t.  Rom.  xiii.,  xiv.  Mid.  v.  o.t. 
2  Ch.  xx.  17  ;  Ac.  xvii.  17.  Shortest  v. — o.  t.  1  Ch.  i.  25  ;  n.t.  Jo.  xi.  35. 
Of  whole  Bible,  middle  and  shortest  cap.  is  Ps.  cxvii. ;  middle  v.  Ps.  exviii.  8. 
Ezra  vii.  21  has  whole  alphabet  except  j.  2  K.  xix.  and  Is.  xxxvii.  are 
nearly  alike.  Verses  8,  15,  21,  31  of  Ps.  cvii.  are  alike.  Word  Lord  occurs 
1,855  times;  word  and,  46,227  times;  word  reverend,  once  (Ps.  cxi.  9). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  I  use  the  Scrip- 
tures, not  as  arsenal  to  be  resorted  to  only  for  arms  and  weapons  .  .  .  but 
as  a  matchless  temple,  where  I  delight  to  contemplate  the  beauty,  the 
symmetry,  and  the  magnificence  of  the  structure  ;  and  to  increase  my 
awe  and  excite  my  devotion  to  the  Deity  there  preached  and  adored." 
{Boyle.)  "  Scarcely  can  we  fix  our  eyes  upon  a  single  passage  in  this 
wonderful  book  which  has  not  afforded  comfort  or  instruction  to  thousands, 
and  been  met  with  tears  of  penitential  sorrow  or  grateful  joy,  drawn  from 
eyes  that  will  weep  no  more."  {Payson.)  "  The  integrity  of  the  records 
of  the  Christian  faith  is  substantiated  by  evidence,  in  a  tenfold  proportion, 
more  various,  copious,  and  conclusive  than  that  which  can  be  adduced  in 
support  of  any  other  anc.  writings."  (Isaac  Taylor.)  "If  those  facts  (on 
the  origin,  nature,  and  progress  of  the  Christian  religion)  are  not,  there- 
fore, established,  nothing  in  the  hist,  of  mankind  can  be  believed."  (Chf. 
Justice  Bushe.)  "To  seek  Divinity  in  Philosophy,  is  to  seek  the  living 
among  the  dead  :  so,  to  seek  Philosophy  in  Divinity,  is  to  seek  the  dead 
among  the  living."  (Bacon.)  "Man  can  weary  himself  in  any  secular 
affair,  but  diligently  to  search  the  Scriptures  is  to  him  tedious  and  burden- 
some. Few  covet  to  be  mighty  in  the  Scriptures  ;  though  convinced  their 
great  concern  is  enveloped  in  them."  (Locke.)  "  I  know  not  a  better  rule 
of  reading  the  Scripture  than  to  read  it  through  fr.  beginning  to  end  ;  and 
when  we  have  finished  it  once,  to  begin  it  again.  We  shall  meet  with 
many  passages  wh.  we  can  make  little  improvement  of ;  but  not  so  many 
in  the  second  reading  as  in  the  first ;  and  fewer  in  the  third  than  in  the 
second."    (/.  Newton.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Read  the  Bible  prayer.  2.  Go  to  it  to 
learn,  not  to  judge.  3.  Read  it  methodically,  regularly,  day  by  day. 
4.  Compare  scripture  with  scripture.  "  God  is  His  own  interpreter  ;  and 
He  will  make  it  plain."  5.  Apply  as  you  read,  and  practise  what  you  learn. 
6.  Read  with  a  spirit  of  self-examination.  7.  Judge  of  and  interpret 
other  books  by  this;  not  this  by  others.  8.  Be  men  of  one  book,  and 
that  bk.  the  Bible.  When  Sir  Walter  Scott  was  dying,  he  said  to  the 
watcher,  "  Bring  the  Book."  "  What  book  ?  "  asked  Lockhart.  The 
dying  man  replied,  "  There  is  but  one  Book." 


182  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Bible— Prophetical  Books.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive  (see  C.  D.  O.  T.,  187  5  Topics,  i.  252-267).— Pro- 
phetical bks.  are  div.  into  those  of  4  major  pro.,  q  v.,  and  12  minor 
pro.,  q.v .,  so  called  on  ace.  of  extent  of  writings.  These  bks.  are  not 
placed  in  Bible  in  order  of  time,  ace.  to  wh.  there  are  3  classes : 
I.  Before  captivity — Jonah,  Amos,  Hosea,  Isaiah,  Joel,  M>cah,  Nahum, 
Zephaniah,  Jeremiah.  II.  During  captivity — Habakkuk,  Daniel, 
Obadiah,  Ezekiel.  III.  After  captivity — Haggai,  Zechariah,  Malachi. 
1.  Special  Characteristic  ;  To  belong  to  prophetic  order,  and  to 
possess  prophetic  gift  not  convertible  terms.  Some  of  the  order  had 
not  the  gift ;  some  had  the  gift  who  belonged  not  to  the  order. 
This  is  teen  in  reply  of  Amos  (vii.  14),  "  That  is,  though  called  to 
prophet,  office,  he  did  not  belong  to  the  order,  had  not  been  trained 
in  the  colleges ;  and  tbis,  he  indicates,  was  an  unusual  occurrence." 
The  16  whose  bks.  are  in  the  canon  had  the  gift ;  hundreds  of  pro- 
phets were  contem.  with  these  16.  Doubtless  many  compositions 
issued  fr.  the  schools,  but  these  16  had  the  Divine  call  to  the  office, 
and  Divine  illumination.  [Call  of  Moses  (Ex.  iii.  2),  Sam.  (1  S.  iii. 
10),  Isa.  (vi.  8),  Jer.  (i.  5),  Ez.  (ii.  4),  Am.  (vii.  15) ;  and,  besides  this 
call,  ea  prophetical  utterance  is  the  result  of  a  communication,  by- 
vision  (Is  vi.  1)  or  word  of  Lord  (Jer.  ii.  1).  2.  Things  to  be 
noted  :  (1)  As  prophecy  becomes  wider*  and  more  clear,  evidence  of 
miracles  is  withdrawn.  Miracles  at  their  height  with  Moses,  subside 
with  Elijah,  and  prophecy  takes  the  place  of  other  evidence.  "  How 
strikingly  it  ills,  the  infinite  importance  of  the  Gospel  to  notice  that, 
to  sustain  and  prove  Christ's  mission,  all  forms  of  anc.  evidence  com- 
bine. He  fulfils  old  predictions,  and  gives  new  ones  ;  while  His  very 
person  and  life  form  a  miraculous  embodiment  of  power,  wisdom,  and 
love."  {Angus.)  (2)  Heathen  nations  are  most  the  subject  of  prophecy 
when  they  seem  to  triumph  most.  The  faith  of  true  believers  was 
then  most  tried,  and  the  credit  of  their  religion  seemed  shaken  (Ps. 
lxxix.  8).  Hence  value  of  prophecy  to  rebuke  pride,  and  awaken 
confidence.  \_Isa.  to  var.  nations,  Nah.  to  Assyria,  Hob.  to  Chal- 
deans:  Oba.  to  Edom,  etc.]  (3)  By  prophecy  revelation  was  ex- 
tended, to  include  wider  range  of  topics,  and  reach  var.  nations. 
Thus  Gentiles  are  the  themes  of  Jon.,  Nah.,  Hab  ,  Oba.  "Plainly, 
God  is  not  the  God  of  one  place  or  people.  His  providence  rules 
over  the  earth,  and  all  people  are  subject  to  Him.  Heathen  nations, 
it  is  true,  are  intro.  into  Scripture  predictions,  as  into  Scripture  hist., 
because  of  their  connection  with  the  Church  or  chosen  nation,  but  the 
lesson  remains.  All  are  within  His  government,  and  it  is  distinctly 
intimated  that  all  are  by-and-by  to  become  obedient  to  His  law. 
(4)  The  time  chosen  for  the  fullest  prediction  of  a  new  and  spiritual 
kingdom  is  the  era  of  the  decl.  and  fall  of  the  temporal  kingdom. 
All  the  prophets  who  speak  of  the  ruin,  speak  also  of  restoration,—  an 
arrangement  wh.  indicates  the  unchangeableness  of  Divine  counsel, 
and  displays -Divine  mercy.    At  first  prophecy  lightened  the  darkness 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  183 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Bible— Prophetical  /looks. 

of  fallen  nature  ;  now  it  lightens  the  darkness  of  misused  or  neglected 
grace.  (.">)  While  nearly  all  the  ps.  point  to  Gospel  and  reign  of 
Christ,  ea.  speaks  in  language  at  once  appropriate  and  peculiar. 
"All  foretell  a  glorious  fut.,  and  the  same  glorious  fut. ;  but  the 
terms  in  wh.  they  foretell  it  are  taken  either  fr.  impending  evil  or 
contemplated  goo'd.  That  fut.  is  the  opposite  of  present  calamity,  or 
it  is  the  completion  of  present  blessing."  (Angus,  Bible  Hand-book, 
473-5.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.  —  "  All  Scripture  is 

practical,  and  intended  to  minister  to  our  improvement  rather  than  to  our 
curiosity."  [Arnold.)  Human  curiosity  would  pry  into  hidden  things  of 
future  (Jo.  xxi.  21,  22)  Folly  of  man  to  try  to  uncover  what  it  may  be 
for  God's  glory  to  conceal  (Pr.  xxv.  2).  The  contradictory  conclusions  to 
wh  those  have  been  led  who  profess  to  be  learned  in  prophetic  weeks,  etc, 
reminds  us  of  need  of  caution,  humility,  and  prayer. 

"  What  in  me  is  dark, 

Illumine  ;  what  is  low,  raise  and  support ; 

That  to  the  height  of  this  great  argument 

I  may  assert  eternal  providence, 

And  justify  the  ways  of  God  to  men."         [Milton.) 
Men  to  reject  the  evidence  of  prophecy,  etc.,  oft.  ace.  to  their  temper, 
believe  some  things  on  small  testimony. 

"  Trifles,  light  as  air, 

Are  to  the  jealous  confirmations  strong 

As  proofs  of  Holy  Writ."  (Shakspeare.) 

In  our  history  the  past  is  oft.  prophetic  of  the  future. 
"  Till  old  experience  do  attain 
To  something  Like  prophetic  strain."  (Milton.) 

Hence  Byron  says,  "  The  best  of  prophets  of  the  future  is  the  past."     As 
the  visions  of  prophecy  were  sources  of  consolation  to  the  anc.  seer  (Ps. 
Ixxiv.  2,  20,  lxxix.  4,  9),  so  also  were  they  to  our  Lord — our  Prophet. 
"Dark  frown'd  the  future  e'en  on  Him, 
The  loving  and  beloved  seer, 
What  time  He  saw,  through  sbadows  dim, 

The  boundary  of  th'  eternal  year ; 
He  only  of  the  sons  of  men 
Named  to  be  heir  of  glory  then, 
Else  had  it  bruis'd  too  sore  His  tender  heart 
To  see  God's  ransom' d  world  in  wrath  and  flame  depart." 

(Keble.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — Be  more  anxious  to  know  that  you  now 
belong  to  God  by  His  adopting  grace,  than  to  know  what  the  future  has 
in  store  for  you. 

"  But  gladly  go  the  appointed  way — 
It  cannot  well  be  dim ; 
For  rough  or  smooth,  or  long  or  short, 
Ye  take  the  steps  with  Him." 


184  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Bible  -New  Test.  History.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive.— N.  t.  hist,  comprises  Gospel  by  Hat.,  31k.,  Lu., 
Jo.,  and  Acts.  [Of  8  authors  of  N.  T.,  all,  save  31k.,  Lu.,  and  Paul, 
saxv  what  they  relate,  and  these  3  were  companions  of  those  who  had 
seen.]  1.  When  (Lardner)  and  WHEEE  written :  Matthew,  A.D.  64, 
Judea ;  Mark,  64,  Home ;  Luke,  63-4,  Greece,  or  Alexandria,  or 
Corinth  ;  John,  68,  Ephesus,  or  Asia?  ;  Acts,  63-4,  Greece,  or  Alex- 
andria. 2.  Scope,  etc.  :  (1)  Mat.,  w.  prob.  in  Heb.  for  Jews  ;  hence 
he  traces  genealogy  of  Christ  to  Abraham ;  refers  to,  without  ex- 
plaining, Jewish  customs;  oft.  quotes  Jewish  scriptures,  using,  not  the 
LXX.,  but  the  Heb. ;  opposes  Jewish  prejudices ;  uses  terms  and 
expressions  of  Jewish  theology,  and  he  is  more  full  and  circum- 
stantial. (2)  31k.,  w.  in  Gk.  for  Gentile  converts  at  Rome ;  hence 
free  fr.  Jewish  peculiarities  ;  few  all.  to  Jewish  customs,  and  these 
are  gen.  explained  (i.  5,  vii.  2,  11,  xv.  42) ;  omits  genealogy,  and 
begins  at  once  with  ministry  of  Christ.  (3)  Lu.,  w.  in  classic  Gk.  to 
guard  Gentile  converts  against  certain  hists.  of  Christ  then  in  circu- 
tion  (i.  1-5).  Thcophilus  may  =  "  any  good  Christian."  Luke,  "  the 
beloved  physician,'"  is  more  minute  than  others  in  his  ace.  of  bodily 
ailments  cured  by  our  Lord.  He  traces  genealogy  up  to  Adam. 
(4)  Jo.,  w.  in  less  pure  Gk.  :  first,  to  supply  omissions  by  other 
evang.,  esp.  bef.  imprisonment  of  the  Baptist ;  second,  to  refute 
Gnostic  (rationalistic,  etc.)  heresies,  esp.  of  Corinthians  and  Nico- 
laitans.  Hence  it  is  peculiarly  doctrinal,  and  aimed  to  describe  the 
real  nature,  character,  and  office  of  Messiah.  {Blomfielcl.)  (5)  Acts, 
w.  by  Luke,  in  purest  Gk.,  to  record,  principally  in  connec.  with  lives 
of  Peter  and  Paul,  the  planting  of  Christianity,  and  its  progress 
among  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  to  exhibit  the  mission,  operations,  and 
influence  of  Holy  Spirit  in  bringing  about  the  conversion  and 
redemption  of  mankind.  "  Thus  it  is  that  the  Gospel  stands  '  four- 
square,' with  a  side  fronting  ea.  side  of  spiritual  world.  Mat  , 
addressing  the  Jew,  reveals  the  Messianic  long;  Luke,  the  Gk., 
reveals  the  man ;  31k.,  showing  the  power  and  vital  force  of  truth; 
and  Jo.  its  attractive  and  subduing  love.  31at.  exhibits  chiefly  the 
Jewish  and  subordinate  ;  Jo.,  the  spiritual  and  Divine,  in  our 
Redeemer;  31k.,  his  authority  over  nature  and  devils;  Luke,  his 
personal  hist,  as  man.  In  all  combined,  Jesus  is  represented  as  the 
Messiah,  Teacher,  Pattern,  Brother,  and  the  God."  (Annus.)  3.  Credi- 
bility. (1)  The  testimony  of  antiquity :  Clement" of  Rome  (a.d.  98), 
Ignatius  (d.  107),  Papias  (119),  Barnabas  (122),  Justin  Martyr  (148), 
Irenceus  (176),  Tertullian  (198),  Origen  (213),  Clement  Alex.  (217), 
are  a  few  of  those  who  lived  in  the  first  two  and  a  half  centuries  of 
our  era,  and  who  in  their  writings  quoted  or  ref.  to  the  Gospels,  etc., 
as  extant  in  their  time.  In  works  of  such  as  lived  bef.  A.D.  700,  the 
quotations  are  so  numerous  that  the  N.  T.  might  have  been  recovered 
even  if  the  originals  had  perished.  [Dr.  Bentley  confirms  this  state- 
ment; he  tried  the  experiment,  and  succeeded.]  (2)  Internal  evidence 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  1S5 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Bible— Xeto  Test.  History. 

Not  only  is  the  harmony  of  fact  and  doctrine  complete  of  these  bks., 
w.  though  they  were  by  men  apart  fr.  ea.  other,  and  without  collusion 
of  any  kind;  not  only  are  the  doctrines  more  sublime  than  unaided 
reason  eould  have  originated,  and  the  morals  purer  than  the  world 
then  taught,  or  even  now  recognizes,  save  where  the  N.  T.  sheds  its 
light;  but  in  the  whole  N.  T.  there  are  only  10  or  12  var.  readings 
01  importance,  and  these  not  affecting  doctrine,  hut  only  the  proof 
passages  in  wh.  they  are  revealed;  while  the  few  writings  of  Terence 
cont.  30,000  variations,  and  have  been  copied  many  times  less 
frequently  than  the  N.  T.  (Angus.)  "Eat  the  Scripture  bread  in. 
simplicity,  just  as  you  have  it,  and  do  not  be  disturbed  if  here  and 
there  you  find  a  grain  of  sand  wh.  the  millstone  may  have  suffered 
to  pass.  If  the  Holy  Scriptures,  wh.  have  been  so  often  copied,  were 
absolutely  without  variations,  this  would  be  so  great  a  miracle  that 
faith  in  them  would  be  no  longer  faith.  I  am  astonished,  on  the 
contrary,  that  fr.  all  these  transcriptions  there  has  not  resulted  a 
greater  number  of  var.  readings."  (Bengel)'  The  slight  vars.  that 
occur  may  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that  in  anc.  MSS.  the  words  were 
written  continuously,  without  stops  or  spaces  betw.  them.  Even  our 
N.  T.  would  be  difficult  to  read  if  printed  thus :  INTHEBEGINNING 
WASTHEWORDANDTHEWORDWASWITHGODANDTHEWORDWASGOD. 

II.  Occasional  Note. —  1.  MSS.:  first  collection,  Origen's  Hexapla 
(185-253),  who  in  six  columns  placed  side  by  side  (1)  Heb.  (2)  Heb.  in  Gk. 
letters;  (3)  Gk.  ver.  of  Aquila;  (4)  of  Symmachus  ;  (5)  of  Theodotion  ; 
(6)  the  LXX.  Aft.  inven.  of  printing,  Erasmus  was  earliest  collator  of 
Gk.  MSS. ;  Kennicott,  for  his  Heb.  Bible,  coll.  630 ;  De  Rossi,  734  more. 
Ab.  600  MSS.  have  been  coll.  for  recent  eds.  of  n.  t.  Most  anc.  MSS.  at 
present  in  existence  are  (a)  C.  Alexandrians,  4  vols,  fob,  in  Brit.  Mus.,  a 
present  fr.  Cyrillus  Lucaris,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  to  Chas.  I. ;  he 
got  it  fr.  Alexandria  ;  date  ab.  4th  or  5th  cent,  (b)  C.  Vaticanus,  in  Vatican 
Library,  Rome ;  date  prob.  betw.  300  and  400  a.d.  ;  one  small  4to  vol. 
(c)  C.  Sinaiticns,  disc,  by  Tischendorf  in  convent  of  St.  Katherine  on  Mt. 
Sinai,  a.d.  1844-1859,  and  presented  by  him  to  Alex.  II.  of  Russia ;  date 
ab.  middle  of  4th  century.     All  these  MSS.  are  more  or  less  imperfect. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  Providence  has 

ordered  it  so  that  the  n.  t.  can  appeal  to  a  far  larger  number  of  original 
sources  than  the  whole  of  them  put  together."  (Tischendorf.)  "There  it 
is,  with  its  pleasant  places  full  of  undying  memories  ;  with  its  grand  rocky 
heights,  and  plains  of  green  pasture,  and  glittering  reaches  of  the  river  of 
the  water  of  life,  with  His  hist,  running  through  it  like  a  golden  thread, 
who,  humbling  Himself  to  be  born  in  its  lowliest  valley,  filling  it  with  the 
battle-field  of  His  conflict  of  love  and  self-sacrifice,  passed  fr.  His  grave  in 
the  rock  up  even  to  the  right  hand  of  God  in  heaven."  (Alford.)  Requisites 
for  right  use  of  the  Gospels,  "  Faith — Intelligence — Honesty — Charity. . . 
Oh,  my  brothers,  we  all  speak  and  write  too  many  hard,  bitter  words  ;  we 
all  indulge  in  too  many  cruel  sentences  ;  we  are  all  trying  to  break,  not  to 
mend,  the  bruised  reed. ...  While  we  are  striving  to  be  strong  in  the  faith, 
let  us  not  despise  the  faith  of  the  weakest."     {Ibid.) 


186  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Bible—  New  Test.  Epistles.}  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive. — (See  also  Paul.) — This  portion  of  N.T.  comprises 
14  Ep.  of  Paul,  1  of  James,  2  of  Peter,  3  of  John,  and  1  of  Jude. 
1.  When   and   where   written.      (For   Eps.    of  Paul,    see   Paul.) 

1.  1  Jo.  w.  in  Gk.,  prob.  A.D.  68-9  ;  bef.  destr.  of  Jerusalem.  Usually 
held  to  have  been  w.  in  Ephesus  ( Judsea,  Macknight ;  Patmos,  Gt  otius). 

2.  2  Jo.  w.  in  Gk.,  ab,  A.D.  68-9;  where,  uncertain  (Ephesus,  Lardner). 

3.  3  Jo.  w.  in  Gk.  A.D.  68-9  ;  where,  uncertain  (Ephesus,  Lardner). 

4.  James  w.  in  Gk.  in  Judaea,  ab.  A.D.  61  (Jas.  was  martyred  ad.  62). 

5.  1  Pet.  w.  ab.  A.D.  63-4  ;  where,  uncertain.  Babylon  (v.  13)  may- 
be used  figuratively,  as  by  John  in  Rev.  6.  2  Pet.  w.  ab.  a.d.  65  ; 
where,  uncertain  (some  say  Judooa,  but  more  say  Rome).  7.  Jude, 
time   doubtful   (a.d.    65,    Lardner;    90,   Mill);    where,   unknown. 

2.  Scope  :  1  Po?nans.  Strengthen  believers  in  their  faith,  hence 
he  argues  fully  on  justification  (i.-v.),  sanct/fication,  and  consolation, 
(vi.-viii.)  ;  objections  to,  \vh.  he  refutes  (ix.),  and  confirms  his  position 
(x.,  xi ),  and  exhorts  all  to  morality  (xii.-xv.)  2.  1  Cor.  Self-vindica- 
tion (ii.-iv.)     Correction  of  abuses  (v.,  vi.)     Replies  to  queries  (vii.-) 

3.  2  Cor.  (ii.  1-4)  to  confirm  right  doctrine  and  practice;  caution 
against  false  teachers ;  exhorts  to  liberality  (viii.,  ix.) ;  self- vindica- 
tion (x-xii.)  4.  Galatians.  To  counteract  Judaizing  teachers,  and 
enforce  salvation  through  faith.  5.  Ephesians.  "  In  this  Ep.,  the 
divinest  composition  of  man,  we  have  contained  every  doctrine  of 
Christianity  :  first,  those  doctrines  peculiar  to  Christianity,  and  then 
those  precepts  common  to  it  with  natural  religion. "  (Colerirh/e.)  Its 
6  chaps,  are  3  doctrinal,  and  3  practical.  6.  Philippians.  Thanks  tor 
personal  aid  ;  exhortation  to  practical  duty  ;  caution  against  error. 
It  does  not  contain  one  censure,  but  praise  throughout.  7.  Colossians. 
To  confirm  Cols,  in  true  faith  ;  cautions  against  error,  esp  of  Essenes, 
and  philosophising  professors  ;  exhorts  to  moral  and  social  duties."  Col. 
and  Eph.  are  in  fact  twin  epistles,  being  written  nearly  together  ;  inso- 
much that  many  expressions  in  the  one  were  made  use  of  in  writing 
the  other."  {Paley,  Hor.  Paul.)  "Whoever  would  understand  the 
Eps.  to  the  Ephs.  and  Cols.,  must  read  them  together  ;  the  one  is  in 
most  places  a  commentary  on  the  other."  (Mieh&lis.  See  also 
Hore,  Intro,  iv.)  8.  1  Thes.  Statements  on  doctrine  to  new  con- 
verts, encouragements,  and  cautions.  9.  2  Thes.  To  combat  error 
resp.  nr.  approach  of  day  of  judgment.  10.  1  Tim.  To  uphold 
authority  of  Tim.,  wh.  some  questioned  and  opposed.  Instructions 
on  Church  management.     11.  2  Tim.     Duties  of  pastor  of  a  church. 

12.  Titus.      On  management  of  churches  ;   caution  against  errors. 

13.  Philemon.  To  sue  for  favour  on  behalf  of  runaway  slave,  whom 
he  sends  back  as  "  a  brother  beloved."  14.  Hebrews.  To  strengthen 
Jewish  converts  in  faith  and  practice  of  Gospel.  A  n.t.  commentary 
on  Leviticus.  [This  Ep.  has  been  occasion  of  much  controversy  as  to 
author,  time,  place,  etc  ,  of  writing.  See  Stetcart,  Lardner,  Alfurd, 
llores  Intro.,  etc.]      15.  James.     Exhortation  to  endurance  under 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  187 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  Bible— New  Test.  Epistles 

trial,  and  to  pood  living,  as  the  Christian's  best  answer  to  gainsayers. 
1(>.  1  Pet.  Same  as  James.  17.  2  Pet.  To  establish  Christiana  in 
faith,  and  -warn  against  error,  and  taunts  of  scoffers.  18.  Jude. 
Same  as  2  Pet.  19.  1  Jo.  Exhortation  to  firmness,  holiness,  love, 
«!  atchfulness.  To  guard  against  evil  doctrine  and  practice.  20.  2  Jo. 
Same  as  1  Jo.  21.  3  Jb;  Commendation  of  Gaius  for  piety  and 
hospitality  ;  and  intro.  to  him  of  one  Demetrius. 

II.  Occasional  Note. — In  25  yrs.  aft.  death  of  Christ,  churches 
■were  planted  in  all  known  world.  Wherever  the  truth  had  gone,  it  found 
the  same  opposition,  under  dif.  forms ;  and  had  produced  the  same  good 
results.  The  spirit  wh.  had  hitherto  opposed  the  Gospel  had  begun  to 
pervert  it ;  and  evil  seducers  have  a  strong  tendency  to  grow  worse.  To 
explain  in  writing,  therefore,  what  had  been  in  a  great  mea  sure  taught 
orally,  to  preserve  these  lessons  in  "  everlasting  remembrance,"  and  to 
give  such  indirect  corrections  of  incipient  error  as  might,  if  prayerfully 
studied,  keep  the  Church  fr.  subsequent  heresy,  is  the  aim  of  the  Epistles. 
(Angus'  Handbook,  583.)  To  find  their  meaning:  (1)  Observe  by  whom, 
and  for  whom,  they  were  written.  (2)  Mark  the  special  design  of  each  Ep. 
(3)  Note  the  prevailing  errors  against  "wh.  Gospel  truth  is  specially 
directed.  (4)  Carefully  comp.  the  whole,  to  gather  a  consistent  and  com- 
prehensive view  of  truth  and  duty.     [Angus.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  Rich  in  doctrine, 

laden  with  the  finest  of  the  wheat,  the  Eps.  are  the  fruitful  fields  wh.  fill 
the  Church's  granary."  {Dr.  Hamilton.)  Justification  by  faith  alone. 
Opposition  to  truth  one  spirit,  but  many  forms.  The  best  way  to  meet 
gainsayers  is  by  well-doing  to  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men. 
Cultivate  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ.  Seek  an  enlargement  of  true 
charity ;  for  real  love  to  Christ  is  the  root  of  a  true  obedience  to  God,  and 
of  wide  benevolence  towards  men. 

"  Then  draw  we  nearer  day  by  day, 
Each  to  his  brethren,  all* to  God ; 
Let  the  world  take  us  as  she  may, 
We  must  not  change  our  road  ; 
Not  wondering,  though  in  grief,  to  find 
The  martyr's  foe  still  keep  her  mind ; 
But  fixed  to  hold  Love's  banner  fast, 
And  by  submission  win  at  last." 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — "  Though  many  other  books  are  comparable 
to  cloth,  in  wh.,  by  a  small  pattern,  we  may  safely  judge  of  the  whole 
piece,  yet  the  Bible  is  like  a  fair  suit  of  arras,  of  wh.,  though  a  shred 
may  assure  you  of  the  fineness  of  the  colours  and  richness  of  the  stuff, 
yet  the  hangings  never  appear  to  their  true  advantage  but  when  they  aro 
displayed  to  their  full  dimensions,  and  are  seen  together."     (Boyle.) 

This  lamp,  from  off  the  everlasting  throne, 

Mercy  took  down,  and  in  the  night  of  Time 

Stood,  casting  on  the  dark  her  gracious  bow ; 

And  evermore  beseeching  men,  with  tears 

And  earnest  sighs,  to  read,  believe,  and  live."     (Tolhk!) 


1S8  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Predictions— Nations.']  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Introductory. — "  Prophecies  are  miracles  of  knowledge,  as 
miraculous  acts  are  miracles  of  power."  (Angus.)  Two  com.  objec- 
tions to  argument  for.  prophecy.  1.  Obscurity:  not  true;  too  many 
proofs  to  contrary.  Yet  a  measure  of  obscurity  essential  to  very 
nature  of  P.  2.  Written  aft.  event.  (Porphyry ;  Voltaire.)  This 
admits  that  the  P.  relates  to  event,  and  is  not  so  obscure  after  all. 
The  charge  impossible.  The  Ps.  exist  in  o.  t.  ;  who  put  them  there  ? 
Certainly  not  Christians,  without  consent  of  Jews,  and  persuading  all 
nations  having  LXX.  that  they  had  always  read  them  there.  But 
note  a  few  predictions,  and  their  fulfilment. 

II.  Examples.— [Judsea.]  The  Land  of  Promise.  Ranked  aftwds. 
by  Gks.  and  Koins.  among  their  finest  provinces.  Many  cities,  vil- 
lages. Its  fruits  outrivalled  those  of  Italy.  The  Gks.  called  it  "  the 
Garden."  Predictions  (Lev.  xxvi.  31-35,  43;  Is.  i.  7,  xxiv.  1-12, 
xxxix.  9-14,  xxvii.  10,  11 ;  Jer.  iv.  20,  26-28,  xii.  7-13;  Ez.  xii.  19, 
20).  Fulfilment  :  Aft.  being  overrun  by  Chaldeans,  Egyptians, 
Romans,  it  was  laid  waste  (636  A.D.)  by  Mohammedans,  and  aftwds. 
by  civil  wars,  Crusades,  Mamelukes,  Tartars,  Turks.  Ail  travellers 
desc.  it  as  a  field  of  ruins;  no  roads,  inns,  or  conveyances.  Small 
population  of  sad,  ill-governed  people.  [Jews.]  In  their  prosperity- 
Isaiah  foretold  their  captivity ;  and  in  their  captivity,  when  threatened 
with  destruction,  and  when  10  tribes  had  already  disappeared,  Jere- 
miah predicted  their  deliverance  (xxx.  10,  11,  xxxiii.  25,  26,  xlvi.  27, 
28).  Comp.  following  predictions  with  what  hist,  has  made  notorious 
(Lev.  xxvi.  33,  36-39,44) ;  (Deu.  iv.  27),  (xxviii.  25-48),  (xxviii.  58- 
67),  (Jer,  xv.  4,  xvi.  13,  ix.  16),  (xxiv.  9,  10,  xv.  7),  (xxix.  18);  (Ez.  v. 
10),  (xii.  15),  (vii.  19;  Is.  lvu.  17),  (Am.  ix.  9),  ( Jer.  viii.  3;  Hos.  ix. 
17);  (Is.  vi.  10-12);  (Am.  ix.  4;  Jer.  xlvi.  28;  Hos.  iii.  4,  5).  [Edom.] 
Once  a  great  nation :  there  are  yet  the  ruins  of  30  towns  within 
3  days  of  Red  Sea.  Jeremiah  (xlix.  17,  10)  and  Obadiah  (8)  predicted 
the  desolation  of  country  and  people.  Once  famous  for  knowledge, 
the  present  inhabitants  look  upon  the  ruins  as  the  work  of  spirits 
(Is.  xxxiv.  10).  "  Even  the  Arabs  are  afraid  to  enter  it,  or  conduct 
any  within  its  borders."  (Keith.)  Burckhardt,  though  disguised,  was 
here  stripped  of  all  his  clothing.  Irby  and  Mangles,  with  their 
retinue,  were  forced  to  return,  though  protected  by  powerful  Arab 
chief.  The  people  are  savage  and  treacherous  (Mai.  i.  4).  Its  deso- 
lation (Jer.  xlix.  7-22)  is  confirmed  by  all  travellers.  [Egypt]  Its 
former  power  and  wealth  are  testified  by  all  anc.  hist,  (see  Egypt), 
and  the  magnificent  ruins  wh.  yet  remain.  With  its  present  con- 
dition compare  the  foil.  (Ez.  xxix.  14,  15,  xxx.  7,  12,  13,  xxxii.  15). 
In  the  course  of  fulfilment  it  was  subdued  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  as 
foretold  by  Jer.  (xlvi.  13)  and  Ez.  (xxx.  10),  and  aftwds.  subjected 
by  the  Persians  and  Macedonians,  as  predicted  by  Isaiah  (xix.  1-13). 
Such  was,  and  now  is,  the  state  of  Egypt,  the  basest  of  kingdoms, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHEKS.  189 

Dispensation]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Predictions— Nations. 

governed  by  strangers  and  slaves.  [Arabia.]  Of  Ishmael,  the  pro- 
genitor of  the  Arab  tribes,  it  was  thus  predicted  by  an  angel  bef.  his 
birth  (Ge.  xvi.  10,  12,  xvii.  20).  Of  their  present  state  an  eye-witness 
says :  "  On  the  smallest  computation,  such  must  have  been  the  man- 
ners of  these  people  for  more  than  3,000  yrs.,  thus  in  all  things 
verifying  the  prediction  given  of  Ishmael  at  his  birth,  that  he,  in  his 
posterity,  should  be  a  wild  man,  and  always  continue  to  be  so,  though 
they  shall  dwell  for  ever  in  the  presence  of  their  brethren  ;  and  that 
an  acute  and  active  people,  surrounded  for  ages  by  polished  and 
luxurious  nations,  should,  fr.  their  earliest  to  their  latest  times,  be 
still  found  a  wild  people  dwelling  in  the  presence  of  all  their  brethren, 
as  we  may  call  the  surrounding  nations,  unsubdued  and  unchangeable, 
is  indeed  a  standing  miracle — one  of  those  mysterious  facts  wh.  esta- 
blish the  truth  of  prophecy."  "  Nor  are  the  destinies  of  other  nations 
overlooked.  God  revealed  to  Noah  the  hist,  of  his  desc. :  Canaan  a 
servant  of  servants,  as  his  desc.  have  long  been;  Japheth  enlarged 
and  dwelling  in  the  tents  of  Shem,  or  Europe  master  of  Asia.  To 
Abraham  He  revealed  the  remote  judgment  that  awaited  Egypt  and 
the  Amorites,  and  the  nearer  judgment  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 
Balaam  spoke  of  the  Hebs.,  of  the  rise  of  Christianity,  and  of  the 
visitations  wh.  were  to  fall  upon  the  Amalekites,  the  Kenites,  and 
the  Assyrians.  Moses  foretold  the  rise  of  the  Rom.  power  800  yrs. 
before  its  existence.''    {Angus.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— God  appeals  to  such 
facts  as  these  (Is.  xlv.  20-22,  or  2  Pet.  i.  19).     Did  you  ever  meet  a  Jew  in 
the  strei  ts  ?    You  would  not  see  him  there  if  the  p.  were  not  sure.    Instead 
of  being  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  he  would  have  remained  in  Judrea. 
Did  you  ever  hear  a  Jew  mocked,  and  see  one  slighted  ?    It  is  because  the 
p.  is  sure,  otherwise  he  would  suffer  no  harm.     Did  you  ever  hear  of  the 
enslaved  children  of  Ham?    It  is  because  the  p.  is  sure  that  they  have 
been  the  "servants  of  servants."     Do  you  ever  read  your  Bible  ?    You 
would  not  if  the  p.  were  not  sure.     For  the  Jews  were  "  broke  off"  the 
true  -vine,  that  you  might  be  "grafted  in."     What  would  not  the  Jews 
now  give  to  recal  the  time  when  they  scorned  the  prophet's  voice  ? 
"  Alas !  we  were  warn'd,  but  we  reck'd  not  the  warning, 
Till  our-  warriors  grew  weak  in  the  day  of  despair  ; 
And  our  glory  was  fied  as  the  light  cloud  of  morning, 
That  gleams  for  a  moment,  and  melts  into  air."       (Bale.) 

TV.  Practical  Hints. — If  none  escaped  who  scorned  the  prophet's 
warning,  let  us  take  hoed  lest,  slighting  our  Prophet,  a  worse  punish- 
ment come  upon  us  (Heb.  i.  1,  2,  ii.  1-3  ;  2  Pet.  i.  19-21 ;  2  Tim.  ii.  13). 
"  Fulfilled,  and  unfulfilled,  the  prophecies  are  mountains  and  valleys — 
mountains  fr.  whose  gilded  summits  you  may  look  on  vistas  through  the 
fog — straths  of  sunshine  in  the  vapour  flood,  where  glorious  things  and 
gladsome  stand  revealed,  whilst  fr.  the  echoing  sides  of  ravine  still  dark 
and  misty,  comes  up  the  heavy  footfall  or  terrific  cry  of  sorrow  not  seen 
as  yet."   (Hamilton.) 

Vol.  II— 13 


190  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Predictions—  Cities.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Examples. — [Babylon,  q.  v.~]  160  yrs.  bef.  its  overthrow  Isaiah 
(xiii.  19,  xiv.  22-,  xxi.  2,  xlv.  1,  xlvii.  27)  delivered  his  predictions; 
100  yrs.  aft.  this  Jeremiah  prophesied  (1.  38,  1.  1,  11,  27,  30,  36,  57). 

. Isaiah  names  its  conquerors,  their  leader, 

~"  '"  '  '-            v  '=  ^         and  states  how  it  will  be  entered.    Both 
HKk      prophets  describe  its  subsequent  condi- 
§j|}     tion.    Herodotus  (Bk.  i.  114),  who  lived 
-;i2=    250    yrs.  after  Isaiah,    and  Xenophon 
V^^S^sSaJ^AjS  -vt    ~^  (Ci/rop  ,  V.  ciii.  38),  who  lived  100  yrs. 
IjlFFf  after  Herodotus,  furnish  minute  proof  of 
;--..%                         1  he  accuracy  of  the  fulfilment.      Strabo 
Bg£«»K-r .-.".        ,  savs  that  in  lis  time  "the  city  was  a 
^^^^^^                      vast    solitude."     Lucian    (c.  1(5)  affirms 
^^S               ^    that   "  B.  will  soon  be  sought  for  and 
^^^7jr:~£^^'        not  found,  as  is  already  the  case  with 
>^=s-^       '               Nineveh."     Pausanias  (c.  viii.  33)  states 
Tyke.                        that  nothing  was  left  but  the   walls ; 
Jerome,  that  in  his  time  it  was  a  receptacle  for  beasts  ;  and  modern 
travellers  (including  Sir  K.  K.  Porter)  testify  to  the  universal  deso- 
lation.    '•  It  is  little  better  than  a  swamp,  and  I  could  not  help 
reflecting  (says  one)  how  faithfully  the  various  prophecies  have  been 
fulfilled."  {Angus.)    [Nineveh,  q.v.~\    Note  its  previous  history,  con- 
dition, size,  and  character;  then  see  (Nah.  i.  8,  10,  ii.  6-9,  iii.  13-17; 
Zeph.  ii.  13-15)    Zepbaniah  100  yrs.  aft.  Nahum,  and  50  yrs.  bef. 
its  fall.     "  The  account  of  the  P.,  when  comp.  with  narrative  of 
historian  (Diodorus  Siculus)  reading  more  like  hist,  than  prophecy. 
Lucian,  who  flourished  in  200  A.D.,  and  was  native  of  that  region, 
affirms  that  it  had  utterly  perished,  and  there  was  no  footstep  of  it 
remaining."    (Angus.)     "  The  very  site  (says  one  writer)  was  long 
unknown.    It  has  of  late  yrs.  been  vis.  by  dif.  travellers.     It  is  now 
an  extended  waste,  interspersed  sparingly  with  heaps  of  rubbish." 
[Tyre,  q.v.~]    Compare  Ez.  xxvi.  2-17,  xxviii.  2-6;  Is.  xxiii.  13,  17; 
Jer.  xxvii.  3,  6;  Zee.  ix.  1-5;  Joel  iii.  4-8).     "It  (an  insignificant 
village)  is  all  remains  of  her.     But  weep  not  for  Tyre.     This  very 
silence  and  repose  are  most  eloquent  and  emphatic  on  themes  of  the 
last  importance  to  the  Christian  faith.    There  is  nothing  here  of  that 
wh.  led  Joshua  to  call  it  'the  strong  city'  (xix.  29)  more  than  3,000 
years  ago, — nothing  of  that  mighty  metropolis  wh.  baffled  the  proud 
Nebuchadnezzar  and  all  his  power  for  13  yrs.,  until  every  head  in  his 
army  was  bald,  and  every  shoulder  peeled  in  the  hard  service  against 
Tyrus  (Ez.  xxix.  18). .  .  .All  have  vanished  like  a  dream.     But  the 
Christian  would  not  have  it  otherwise.     The  very  veracity  of  Jeho- 
vah stands  pledged,  or  seems  to  be,  to  keep  it  so As  she  now  is 

and  has  long  been,  T.  is  God's  witness;  but  great,  powerful,  and 
populous,  she  would  be  the  infidel's  boast.  This,  however,  she  cannot, 
will  not  be.     T.  will  never  rise  fr.  her  dust  to  falsify  prophecy  ;  nor 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  191 

dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIQiON,  [Predictions— Cities. 

can  I  make  any  lamentation  for  her:  she  is  a  greater  blessing  to  the 
world  now  than  in  the  clay  of  her  highest  prosperity."  (T.  L.  B.,  177.) 
[Jerusalem,  q.r.~]  Compare  Jer.  xx.  5,  ix.  11,  xxvi.  18;  Is.  lxiv.  10, 
xliv.  26-28,  xxxiii.  20;  Zee.  xii.  2,  3,  ix.  9;  Is.  ii.  3,  xl.  9;  to  he 
destr.  by  Roms.  (La.  six.  42-44  :  Mat.  xxiv.  21,  29  ;  Lu.  xxi.  23,  24) ; 
preceding  signs  (Mat.  xxiv.  6-15  ;  Lu.  xxi.  7-11,  25,  28).  "  Within 
the  small  circuit  on  wh.  you  look,  Jesus  taught,  and  suffered,  and 
rose  again.  But  when  you  want  to  fix  exactly  upon  the  spot  where 
this  or  that  great  event  occurred,  you  are  at  fault ;  you  have  the 
broad  outlines  of  the  picture,  you  cannot  discern  the  minuter  touches. 
To  reconstruct  the  anc.  city  is  perhaps  impossible.  But  the  over- 
throw and  dislocation  must  be  allowed  to  be  no  small  corroboration 
of  tint  sacred  book  fr.  wh.  Jerusalem  and  Zion  derive  all  their 
interest."  (T.  B.  K.)  "  Every  stone  is  a  witness  of  God's  revelation, 
and  every  ruin  a  monument  of  His  wrath."    (Pierotti.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— The  fate  of  these  cities, 

in  ref.  to  past  hist,  and  present  state,  demonstrates  not  only  the  truth  of 
prophecies  concerning  them,  but  al^o  that  holy  men  of  old  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  (2  Pet.  i.  21).  "  No  word  can  be  more  sure, 
in  regard  to  past  and  present  things,  than  theirs  was  in  regard  to  tho 
future. .  .  .The  predictions  of  these  literal  facts,  in  all  their  particulars  and 
minuteness,  infinitely  surpasses  human  foresight.  The  ruin  of  empires, 
while  it  prosTes  the  truth  of  every  tittle  of  these  predictions,  is  thus  a 
miraculous  confirmation  and  proof  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures." 
In  vain  do  returning  pilgrims  seek  for  the  splendid  temple,  where  once,  at 
their  annual  feasts,  the  Jews  found  it  in  their  beloved  Jerusalem — the 
"joy  of  the  whole  earth." 

"  Returning  from  a  stranger  land, 
We  come,  a  feeble,  aged  band, 
To  linger  out  life's  fading  hours 
I'.rside  our  ruin'd  Salem's  towers; 
Where  once  exulting  myriads  trod 
To  throng  the  fane  of  Judah's  God, 
With  trembling  her  exiles  creep, 
Lean  on  the  wayworn  staff,  and  weep. 
Soon  shall  these  weary  frames  of  ours 
Dissolve  like  Salem's  crumbling  towers; 
Her  outcast  tribes  no  longer  come 
To  greet  her  as  their  hallowed  home, 
But  sadly  joy  to  lay  their  head 
Beneath  their  foes'  insulting  tread ; 
To  fall  by  her  they  could  not  save ; 
Their  glory  once,  and  now  their  grave." 

{Charlotte  Elizabeth.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Revere  the  book  thus  proved,  by  incon- 
testable evidence,  to  be  Divine.  2.  Hallow  and  honour  the  God  of  the 
Bible,  and  "  speak  good  of  His  name  "  (Heb.  x.  23). 


192 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Predictions—  Persons.] 


TR  UE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Examples. — [Cyrus]  named  (Is.  xliv.  28,  xlv.  1) ;  intimated 
that  this  was  not  given  at  his  birth,  but  was  his  surname  (lv.  4). 
Josephus  'Ant.  xi.  i.  1,  2)  states  that  the  prophecies  of  Isa.  respecting 

Cyras     were 

^  "V^  shown  to  that 

sT  k  i  n  g ,  a  n  d 

_^  that,    struck 

with     the 
divine  record, 
s       he  was  in- 
'     duced  to  is- 
..4^...  sue    his    de- 
cree.    For 
other   exam- 
E  pies   of  per- 
-         sons     named 
~S~       before    birth 
***     ^S^^mk        ^^^^^^^^        (lK.xiii.  2). 

[Christ]  note 
Tomb  of  Cyrus  (at  Pasaegadje,  now  Murg-Aub).  ea    p    an(j  j^s 

fulfilment :  as  Son  of  God  (Ps.  ii.  7,  cf.  Lu.  i.  32,  35)  j  seed  of 
woman  (Ge.  iii.  15,  cf.  Gal.  iv.  4) ;  of  Abraham  (Ge.  xvii.  7,  xxii.  18, 
cf.  Gal.  iii.  16)  ;  of  Isaac  (Ge.  xxi.  12,  cf.  Heb.  xi.  17-19)  ;  of  David 
(Ps.  cxxxii.  11 ;  Jer.  xxiii.  5,  cf.  Ac.  xiii.  23;  Ro.  i.  3)  ;  coming  at 
set  time  (Ge.  xlix.  10  ;  Dan.  ix.  24,  25,  cf.  Lu.  ii.  1)  ;  born  of  virgin 
(Is.  vii.  14,  cf.  Mat.  i.  18;  Lu.  ii.  7) ;  called  Immanuel  (Is.  vii.  14,  cf. 
Mat.  i.  22,  23) ;  at  Bethlehem  of  Judsea  (Mic.  v.  2,  cf.  Mat.  ii.  1  ; 
Lu.  ii.  4-6)  ;  great  persons  come  to  worship  (Ps.  lxxii.  10,  cf.  Mat. 
ii.  1-11)  ;  slaying  of  children  (Jer.  xxxi.  15,  cf.  Mat.  ii.  16-18)  ; 
called  out  of  Egypt  (Hos.  xi.  1,  cf.  Mat.  ii.  15)  ;  His  herald  (Is.  xl.  3  ; 
Mai.  iii.  1,  cf.  Mat.  iii.  1-3;  Lu.  i.  17);  anointed  with  Spirit 
(Ps.  xlv.  7  ;  Is.  xi.  2,  Ixi.  1,  cf.  Mat.  iii.  16  ;  Jo.  iii.  34 ;  Ac.  x.  38). 
Like  Moses  (Deu.  xviii.  15-18,  cf.  Ac.  iii.  20-22),  Priest  Melchi- 
zedek  (Ps.  ex.  4,  cf.  Heb.  v.  5,  6) ;  ministry,  entering  (Is.  Ixi.  1,  2,  cf. 
Lu.  iv.  16-21,  43).  Galilee  (Is.  ix.  1,  2,  cf.  Mat.  iv.  12-16,  23); 
entering  Jerusalem  (Zee.  ix.  9,  cf.  Mat.  xxi.  1-5)  ;  temple  (Hag.  ii. 
7,  9  ;  Mai.  iii.  1,  cf.  Mat.  xxi.  12  ;  Lu.  ii.  27-32;  Jo.  ii.  13-16)  ; 
poverty  (Is.  liii.  2,  cf.  Mk.  vi.  3  ;  Lu.  ix.  58)  ;  meekness  (Is.  xlii.  2, 
cf.  Mat.  xii.  15-19)  ;  tenderness  (Is.  xl.  11,  xlii.  3,  cf.  Mat.  xii.  15,  20  ; 
Heb.  iv.  15) ;  without  guile  (Is.  liii.  9,  cf  1  Pet.  ii.  22) ;  zeal  (Ps.  lxix. 
9,  cf.  Jo.  ii.  17);  parables  (Ps.  lxxviii.  2,  cf  Mat.  xiii.  34,  35); 
miracles  (Is.  xxxv.  5,  6,  cf.  Mat.  xi.  4-6 ;  Jo.  xi.  47)  ;  bearing  re- 
proach (Ps.  xxii.  6,  lxxix.  7,  9,  20,  cf.  Ro.  xv.  2) ;  rejected  (Ps.  lxxix. 
8;  Is.  liii.  3,  cf.  Jo.  i.  11,  vii.  5);  to  Jews,  stone  of  stumbling 
(Is.  viii.  14,  cf.  Ro.  ix.  32  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  8) ;  they  hated  Him  (Ps.  lxix.  4 ; 
Is.  xlix.  7,  cf  Jo.  xv.  24,  25) ;  rejected  Him  (Ps.  cxviii.  22,  cf.  Mat. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  193 

Dispensation.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Predictions—  Persons. 

xxi.  42;  Jo.  vii.  48);  combination  against  Him  (Ps.  ii.  1,  2,  cf.  Lu. 
xxiii.  12;  Ac.  iv.  27);  betrayal  (Ps.  xli.  9,  lv.  12  14,  cf.  Jo.  xiii. 
18,  21);  forsaken  by  disciples  (Zee.  xiii.  7,  cf.  Mat.  xxvi.  31,  56); 
sold  (Zee.  xi.  12,  13,  cf.  Mat.  xxvi.  15,  xxvii.  7) ;  sufferings  (Ps.  xxii. 
14,  15,  cf.  Lu.  xxii.  42,  44)  ;  for  others  (Is.  liii.  4-6,  12  ;  Dan.  ix.  26, 
cf.  Mat.  XX.  28) ;  patience  (Is.  liii.  7,  cf  Mat.  xxvi.  63,  xxvii.  12-14) ; 
smitten  (Mic.  v.  1,  cf  Mat.  xxvii.  30)  ;  visage  marred  (Is.  lii.  14, 
liii.  3,  cf.  Jo.  xix.  5)  ;  scourged,  etc.  (Is.  1.  6,  cf.  Mk.  xiv.  65 ; 
Jo.  xix.  1) ;  crucifixion  (Ps.  xxii.  16,  cf.  Jo.  xix.  18,  xx.  25)  ;  forsaken 
of  Gcd  (Ps.  xxii.  1,  cf  Mat.  xxvii.  46)  ;  mocked  (Ps.  xxii.  7,  8,  cf. 
Mat.  xxvii.  39-44) ;  gall,  etc.,  to  drink  (Ps.  lxix.  21 ,  cf.  Mat.  xxvii.  34)  ; 
garments  parted  (Ps.  xxii.  18,  cf.  Mat.  xxvii.  35)  with  transgressors 
(Is.  liii.  12,  cf  Mk.  xv.  28);  intercession  (Is.  liii.  12,  cf.  Lu.  xxiii.  34); 
death  (Is.  liii.  12,  cf  Mat.  xxvii.  50);  no  bone  broken  (Ex.  xii.  46;  Ps. 
xxxiv.  20,  cf  Jo.  xix.  33,  36);  pierced  (Zee.  xii.  10,  cf.  Jo.  xix.  34,  37); 
buried  with  rich  (Is.  liii.  9,  cf.  Mat.  xxvii.  57-60) ;  flesh  not  cor^ 
rupted  (Ps.  xvi.  10,  cf  Ac.  ii.  31)  ;  resurrection  (Ps.  xvi.  10  ;  Is. 
xxvi.  19,  cf  Lu.  xxiv.  6,  31,  34)  ;  ascension  (Ps.  lxviii.  18,  cf. ' 
Lu.  xxiv.  51  ;  Ac.  i.  9) ;  right  hand  of  God  (Ps.  ex.  1,  cf  Heb.  i.  3) ; 
Priest  for  ever  (Zee.  vi.  13,  cf.  Ro.  viii.  34)  ;  corner-stone  of  Church. 
(Is.  xxviii.  16,  cf.  1  Pet.  ii.  6,  7)  ;  King  in  Zion  (Ps.  ii.  6,  cf  Lu.  i. 
32;  Jo.  xix.  33-37);  conversion  of  Gentiles  (Is.  xi.  10,  xiii.  1,  cf. 
Mat.  i.  17,  20  ;  Jo.  x.  16  ;  Ac.  x.  45-47)  ;  government  (Ps.  xlv.  6,  7, 
cf.  Jo.  v.  30;  Rev.  xix.  11)  ;  universal  dominion  (Ps.  lxxii.  8  ;  Dan. 
vii.  14,  cf  Phi.  ii.  9,  11)  ;  everlasting  kingdom  (Is.  ix.  7  ;  Dan.  vii.  14, 
cf  i.  32,  33).  Thus  in  every  minute  detail  were  the  Scriptures 
fulfilled ;  for  "  to  Him  give  all  the  prophets  witness  "  (Ac.  x.  43). 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— How  instructive  to 

notice  that  while  no  man  is  the  theme  of  any  series  of  prophetic  revelations 
—not  even  Moses — the  Messiah  is  the  theme  of  them  all.     He  had  His 
signs  before  Him,  as  well  as  ivith  Him  (Lu.  ii.  70).     What  less  can  we 
believe  than  that  He  is  Divine  ;  or  say  than,  with  Cowper, — 
"  Come,  then,  and,  added  to  Thy  many  crowns, 

Receive  yet  one,  the  crown  of  all  the  earth, 

Thou  who  alone  art  worthy  !     It  was  Thine 

By  ancient  covenant,  ere  nature's  birth  ; 

And  Thou  hast  made  it  Thine  by  purchase  since, 

And  overpaid  its  value  with  Thy  blood. 

*         *         *         *         *         *  ■       * 

The  very  spirit  of  the  world  is  tired 

Of  its  own  taunting  question,  ask'd  so  long, 

'  "Where  is  the  promise  of  your  Lord's  approach  ? '  " 

III.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  What  think  ye  of  Christ?  2.  Is  not 
this  He  of  whom  Moses  and  the  prophets  wrote  ?  3.  How  stand  you 
related  to  Him  now  ?  4.  Where  will  you  be  while  in  the  future  the 
prophets  hail  Him  as  their  Master,  while  they  rejoice  to  see  His  work, 
foretold  by  them,  accomplished  ? 


194  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Truth.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions. — "  T.  a  straight  line  ;  falsehood  a  crooked  one." 
"  T.  is  the  joining  or  separating  of  signs,  as  things  signified  agree 
or  disagree."  {Locke.)  "  T.  is  the  offspring  of  unbroken  meditations, 
and  of  thoughts  often  revised  and  corrected."  (Wollaslon.)  "  t.  is 
the  bond  of  union  and  the  basis  of  human  happiness.  Without  this 
virtue,  there  is  no  reliance  upon  language,  no  confidence  in  friendship, 
no  security  in  promises  and  oaths."  {Jeremy  Collier.)  "  T.  is  esta- 
blished by  investigation  and  delay ;  falsehood  prospers  by  preci- 
pitancy." {Tacitus.)  "  T.  may  be  expressed  without  art  or  affecta- 
tion, but  a  lie  stands  in  need'  of  both."  "  Nothing  that  is  true  can 
ever  die."  "  T.  fears  nothing  but  concealment."  •'  The  expression 
of  T.  is  simplicity."  (Seneca.)  "  T.  is  simple,  requiring  neither 
study  nor  art."  (Ammian.)  "  T.  is  as  impossible  to  be  soiled  by 
any  outward  touch  as  the  sunbeam."     (Milton.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Truth.— God  is  a  God  of  (Dcu. 
xxxii.  4  ;  Ps.  xxxi.  5).  Christ  is  (Jo.  xiv.  6,  cf.  vii.  IS) ;  was  full  of 
(Jo.  i.  14);  spake  (viii.  45).  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Spirit  of  (Jo.  xiv. 
17);  guides  into  all  (Jo.  xvi.  13).  The  word  of  God  is  (Dan.  x. 
21  ;  Jo.  xvii.  17).  God  regards  with  favour  (Jer.  v.  3).  The  judg- 
ments of  God  ace.  to  (Ps.  xcvi.  13  ;  B,o.  ii.  2).  Saints  should  worship 
God  in  (Jo.  iv.  24,  cf.  Ps.  cxlv.  18);  serve  in  (Jos.  xxiv.  14; 
1  S.  xii.  24) ;  walk  bef.  in  (1  K.  ii.  4  ;  2  K.  xx.  3)  ;  keep  religious 
feasts  with  (1  Cor.  v.  8)  ;  esteem  (Pr.  xxiii.  23) ;  love  (Zee.  viii.  19) ; 
rejoice  in  (1  Cor.  xiii.  .6);  speak  (Zee.  viii.  16;  Eph.  iv.  25j ; 
execute  judgment  with  (Zee.  viii.  16);  meditate  on  (Phi.  iv.  8), 
An  ornament  (Pr.  iii.  3).  God  desires,  in  the  heart  (Ps.  Ii.  6).  The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  (Eph.  v.  9).  Ministers  should  speak  (2  Cor. 
xii.  6  ;  Gal.  iv.  16) ;  teach  in  (1  Tim.  ii.  7)  ;  approve  themselves  by 
(2  Cor.  vi.  7,  8).  Magistrates  should  be  men  of  (Ex.  xviii.  21). 
Kings  preserved  by  (Pr.  xx.  28).  They  who  speak,  sIioav  forth 
righteousness  (Pr.  xii.  17)  ;  shall  be  established  (Pr.  xii.  19)  ;  are 
delight  of  God  (Pr.  xii.  22).  The  wicked  destitute  of  (Hos.  iv.  1) ; 
speak  not  (Jer.  ix.  5);  uphold  not  (Is.  lix.  14,  15);  plead  not  for 
(Is.  lix.  4)  ;  not  valiant  for  (Jer.  ix.  5)  ;  punished  for  want  of 
(Jer.  ix.  5,  9;  Hos.  iv.  1,  3).  The  Gospel  as,  came  by  Christ 
(Jo.  i.  17);  Christ  bare  witness  to  (Jo.  xviii.  37);  is  in  Christ 
(1  Tim.  ii.  7);  John  bare  witness  to  (Jo.  v.  33);  ace.  to  godliness 
(Tit.  i.  1);  sanctifying  (Jo.  xvii.  17,  19);  purifying  (1  Pet.  i.  22); 
part  of  Christian  armour  (Eph.  vi.  14);  revealed  to  faints  (Jer. 
xxxiii.  6) ;  abides  with  saints  (2  Jo.  ii.) ;  should  be  acknowledged 
(2  Tim.  ii.  25);  believed  (2  Thes.  ii.  12,  13;  1  Tim.  iv.  3);  obeyed 
(Rom.  ii.  8;  Gal.  iii.  1);  loved  (2  Thes.  ii.  10);  manifested 
(2  Cor.  iv.  2) ;  rightly  divided  (2  Tim.  ii.  15).  The  wicked  turn 
away  from  (2  Tim.  iv.  4)  ;  resist  (2  Tim.  iii.  8)  ;  destitute  of 
(1  Tim.  vi.  5).  The  Church  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  (1  Tim.  id.  15). 
The  devil  devoid  of  (Jo.  viii.  44). 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  195 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Truth. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.  — "  t.  in  its  own 

essence  cannot  but  be  good."    (Jii/ron.) 

"  Curse  on  the  coward  or  perfidious  tongue 
That  dares  not,  even  to  kings,  avow  the  truth ! 
Let  traitors  wrap  them  in  delusive  incense, 
On  flattery  flattery  heap,  on  falsehood  falsehood : 
Truth  is  the  living  liberal  breath  of  heaven, 
That  sweeps  these  fogs  away  with  all  their  vermin."    (Thomson.) 

"  "When  fiction  rises  pleasing  to  the  eye, 
Men  will  believe  because  they  love  the  lie  ; 
But  Truth  herself,  if  clouded  with  a  frown, 
Must  have  some  solemn  proofs  to  pass  her  down."    (Churchill.) 

"  One  great  reason  -why  t.  is  stranger  than  fiction  is  because  there  is 
not  half  so  much  of  it  in  the  world."  "  Every  violation  of  t.  is  not 
only  a  sort  of  suicide  in  the  liar,  but  is  a  stab  at  the  health  of  human 
society."  "  Truthfulness  is  a  corner-stone  in  character;  and  if  it  is  not 
firmly  laid  in  youth,  there  will  ever  be  a  weak  spot  in  the  foundation." 
"  t.  is  not  only  a  man's  ornament,  but  his  instrument ;  it  is  the  great 
man's  glory  and  the  poor  man's  stock.  A  man's  truth  is  his  livelihood, 
his  recommendation,  his  letters  of  credit." 

"  Truth,  though  sometimes  clad 
In  painful  lustre,  yet  is  always  welcome ; 
Dear  as  the  light  that  shows  the  lurking  rock  : 
"lis  the  fair  guiding  star  that,  ne'er  unto  the  main 
Descending,  leads  us  safe  through  stormy  life."     (Thomson.) 

"  It  is  hard  to  personate  and  act  a  part  long ;  for,  where  t.  is  not  at  the 
bottom,  nature  will  always  be  endeavouring  to  return,  and  will  peep  out 
and  betray  herself  onetime  or  other."  (Tillotson.)  "There  is  a  wide 
difference  between  truthfulness  and  mere  veracity.  Veracity  implies  a 
correspondence  between  thoughts  and  realities.  To  be  veracious,  it  is 
only  necessary  that  a  man  give  utterance  to  his  convictions  ;  to  be  true, 
it  is  needful  that  his  convictions  have  affinity  with  fact."  (F.  W.  Robertson.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — "  Above  all  things,  always  speak  the  truth  ; 
your  word  must  be  your  bond  through  life."  (Haliburton.)  Avoid  pre- 
varication— what  is  called  "fibbing,"  and  "white  lies."  Some,  lacking 
a  due  sense  of  honour,  tempt  others  to  lie  by  asking  improper  questions, 
answers  to  which  must  involve  the  betrayal  of  confidence  or  the  utterance 
of  untruth.  There  would  be  less  falsehood  among  youth  if  there  were 
less  impertinent  curiosity  among  older  persons.  It  is  no  more  right  for 
us  to  answer  some  questions,  than  it  is  for  others  to  ask  them ;  and  in 
such  cases  it  would  be  well  at  once  to  say  so. 

"  The  real  nobility  of  birth 

To  age,  maturity,  or  youth, 
The  very  crown  of  creature-worth, 
Is  easy,  guileless,  open  truth." 

(Tupper.) 


196  TOPICS    FOE   TEACHERS. 

Falsehood-]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions.—"  Every  lie,  great  or  small,  is  the  brink  of  a 
precipice  the  depth  of  wh.  nothing  but  Omniscience  can  fathom." 
(Charles  Reticle.)  F.,  like  the  dry-rot,  flourishes  the  more  in  propor- 
tion as  air  and  light  are  excluded;"  "  F.,  like  distorted  reflections 
fr.  an  uneven  mirror,  suffers  death  by  contact  with  ea.  other."  "  F.  is 
never  so  successful  as  when  she  baits  her  hook  with  truth ;  and  no 
opinions  so  fatally  mislead  us  as  those  that  are  not  wholly  wrong,  as  no 
watches  so  effectually  deceive  the  wearers  as  those  that  are  sometimes 
right."  (Colton.)  "A  lie  should  be  trampled  on  and  extinguished 
wherever  found.  I  am  for  fumigating  the  atmosphere  when  I  suspect 
that  F.,  like  pestilence,  breathes  around  me."  (Carlyle.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Falsehood.— Forbidden  (Lev.  xix. 
11;  Col.  iii.  9);  hateful  (Pr.  vi.  16  19)  ;  an  abomination  (xii.  22); 
a  hindrance  to  prayer  (Is.  lix.  2,  3);  the  devil,  the  father  of  (Jo.  viii. 
44),  excites  men  to  (1  K.  xxii.  22;  Ac.  v.  3).  Saints  hate  (Ps. 
cxix.  163 ;  Pr.  xiii.  5) ;  avoid  (Is.  lxiii.  8 ;  Zep.  iii.  13) ;  respect  not 
those  who  practise  (Ps.  xl.  4,  ci.  7) ;  pray  to  be  preserved  from 
cxix.  29;  Pr.  xxx.  8).  Unbecoming  in  rulers  (Pr.  xvii.  7,  xxix. 
12).  False  prophets  addicted  to  (Jer.  xxiii.  14;  Ez.  xxii.  28);  and 
false  witnesses  (Pr.  xiv.  5,  25) ;  and  Antinomians  (1  Jo.  i.  6,  ii.  4)  ; 
and  hypocrites  (Hos.  xi.  12) ;  and  a  seed  of  (Is.  lvii.  4).  The  wicked 
addicted  to,  from  birth  (Ps.  lviii.  3);  love  (Hi.  3);  delight  in  (Ps. 
lxii.  4) ;  seek  after  (iv.  2) ;  prepare  for  (Jer.  ix.  3,  5) ;  bring  forth 
(Ps.  vii.  14) ;  give  heed  to  (Pr.  xvii.  4).  A  characteristic  of  the 
apostacy  (2  Thes.  ii.  9  ;  1  Tim.  iv.  2).  Leads  to  hatred  (Pr.  xxvi.  28) ; 
impure  conversation  (Pr.  xvii.  4).  Often  accompanied  by  crimes  (Hos. 
iv.  1,  2).  Folly  of  concealing  hatred  by  (Pr.  x.  18);  of  getting  riches 
by  (Pr.  xxi.  6).  Detected  (Pr.  xii.  19).  Poverty  preferable  to  (Pr. 
xix.  22).  Excludes  from  heaven  (Rev.  xxi.  27,  xxii  15).  Exposes  to 
hell  (Rev.  xxi.  8).  Punishment  for  (Ps.  v.  6,  cxx.  3,  4 ;  Pr.  xix.  5 ; 
Jer.  1.  36). 

III.  Illustrations.— Examples :  The  devil  (Ge.  iii.  4).;  Cain  (iv„ 
9) ;  Sarah  (xviii.  15) ;  Jacob  (Ge.  xxvii.  19) ;  Joseph's  brethren  (Ge. 
xxxvii.  31,  32) ;  Gibeonites  (Jos.  ix.  9-13) ;  Samson  (Ju.  xvi.  10) ;  Saul 
(1  S.  xv.  13);  Michal  (1  S.  xix.  14);  David  (1  S.  xxi.  2).  Prophet  of 
Bethel  (1  K.  xiii.  18);  Gehazi  (2  K.  v.  22);  Job's  friends  (Job  xiii.  4); 
Ninevites  (Nah.  iii.  1) ;  Peter  (Mat.  xxvi.  72) ;  Ananias,  &c.  (Ac.  v.  5) ; 
Cretans  (Tit.  i.  12). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Truthfulness  is  de- 
parted from  when  we  state  as  true  what  we  do  not  know  to  be  true;  or 
intentionally  produce  a  false  impression ;  or  find  that  we  have,  though 
undesignedly,  conveyed  a  false  impression,  and  do  not  hasten  to  correct  it ; 
or  state  a  matter  in  the  least  degree  different  from  the  shape  it  has  in  our 
own  minds ;  or,  in  the  statement  of  what  may  be  true  in  fact,  we  purposely 
omit  any  circumstances  which  are  necessary  to  a  correct  apprehension  ot' 
the  truth ;  or  exaggerate  or  extenuate  any  of  those  circumstances ;   or 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  197 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Falsehood. 

purposely  arrange  the  facta  of  a  true  representation  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  deceive  j  or,  with  intention  to  deceive,  we  accompany  a  statement  with 
a  look  of  the  eye,  a  tone  of  the  voice,  a  motion  of  the  head,  or  anything 
which  may  influence  the  mind,  and  conduce  to  a  falso  impression ;  or 
answer  a  question  evasively,  so  as  to  deceive,  under  the  secret  pretence 
that  the  inquirer  has  no  right  to  know  the  truth  ;  or  by  word  or  act  we 
create  an  expectation  which  we  do  not  intend  to  fulfil ;  or  create  an  expec- 
tation which,  though  we  intend  to  fulfil  it,  we  afterwards  fail  to  fulfil, 
without  due  care  to  explain  the  cause  of  the  failure ;  or  do  not  fulfil  a  pro- 
mise in  every  respect  precisely  as  we  supposed  the  promise  was  understood ; 
or  fulfil  a  contract  or  promise  in  every  particular,  except  as  to  time,  and 
make  no  effort,  show  no  disposition  to  give  early  notice  that  the  delay  was 
unavoidable.  Avoid  falsehood  by  being  true  to  yourself. 
"  This,  above  all,  to  thine  own  self  be  true  ; 
And  it  must  follow,  as  the  night  the  day, 
Thou  canst  not  then  be  false  to  any  man."  (ShaJcspeare.) 
When  Aristotle  was  asked  what  a  man  could  gain  by  telling  a  f.,  he 
replied,  "Never  to  be  credited  when  he  speaks  the  truth"  (ill.  the 
shepherd  boy  who  cried,  "Wolf,  wolf").  "Falsehood  is  fire  in  stubble; 
it  likewise  turns  all  the  light  stuff  around  it  into  its  own  substance  for  a 
moment — one  crackling,  blazing  moment — and  then  dies ;  and  all  its  con- 
tents are  scattered  in  the  wind,  without  place  or  evidence  of  their  exist- 
ence, as  viewless  as  the  wind  which  scatters  them."  (Coleridge.)  Liars 
should  have  long  memories.  "  One  lie  requires  ten  others  to  support  it, 
and  the  failure  of  probability  in  one  of  them  ruins  all.  The  pains  neces- 
sary to  patch  up  a  plausible  story,  and  the  racking  of  the  memory  to  keep 
always  to  the  same  circumstances  in  representing  things,  and  avoid  con- 
tradictions, is  insufferable ;  and,  after  all,  it  is  a  thousand  to  one  but  the 
artifice  is  detected.  And  then  the  unhappy  man  is  questioned  as  much  when 
he  is  sincere  as  when  he  dissembles ;  so  that  he  finds  himself  at  a  full  stop, 
and  can  neither  gain  his  ends  with  mankind  by  truth  or  falsehood." 
"  Often  are  the  most  painful  wrongs  inflicted  through  the  medium  of  covert 
inuendoes  and  malignant  insinuations.  Half  of  a  fact  is  a  whole  false- 
hood. He  who  gives  the  truth  a  false  colouring  by  a  false  manner  of  tell- 
ing it  is  the  worst  of  liars.  Such  was  Doe^  in  his  testimony  against  the 
priests :  he  stated  the  facts  in  the  case,  but  gave  them  such  an  artful 
interpretation  as  to  impart  to  them  the  aspect  and  influence  of  the  most 
flagrant  falsehoods.  It  was  through  the  same  mode  of  procedure  that  our 
Lord  was  condemned.  A  perverse  misconstruction  was  given  to  His 
words,  so  that  what  was  spoken  in  loyalty  to  the  highest  truth  was  trans- 
formed into  treason  worthy  of  death."   (Magoon.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. —  I.  Ho  not  avoid  r.  for  fear  simply  of  detec- 
tion, but  because  a  f.  is  a  sin  against  God.  2.  If  you  cannot  answer  truly 
to  a  question  without  doing  harm,  at  once  decline  to  answer.  3.  Better 
say  you  do  not  know,  than  by  a  pretence  of  knowledge  Lave  the  impression 
that  you  know  more  than  is  the  fact.  Guessing  an  answer  is  often  the 
utterance  of  a  heart  willing  to  deceive. 

"  Dare  to  be  true,  nothing  can  need  a  lie ; 
A  fault  which  needs  it  most  grows  two  thereby."     (Herbert.) 


198  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Pride.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions. — "A  weed  wh.  often  grows  the  highest  in  the 
lowest  situations."  "  A  transparent  varnish  used  by  fools  to  cover 
their  defects."  "  A  display  without  to  celebrate  the  dearth  of 
common  sense  within."  "Pride  is  worse  to  bear  than  cruelty." 
"  He  whose  pride  oppresses  the  humble  may,  perhaps,  be  humbled, 
but  will  never  be  humble."  (Lavater.)  "  Pride  is  nearly  related  to 
beggary  and  want." 

"  Rather  than  bear  the  pain  of  thought,  fools  stray ; 
The  proud  will  rather  lose  than  ask  their  way."     (Churchill.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Pride— Is  sin  (Pr.  xxi.  4).  Hateful  to  God 
(yi.  16,  17,  xvi.  5).  To  Christ  (viii.  12,  13.)  Originates  in  self- 
righteousness  (Lu.  xviii.  11,  12);  religious  privileges  (Zep.  iii.  11); 
unsanctihed  knowledge  (1  Cor.  viii.  1)  ;  inexperience  (1  Tim.  iii.  6)  ; 
possession  of  power  (Lev.  xxvi.  19;  Ez.  xxx  6);  of  wealth  (2  K. 
xx.  13).  Forbidden  (1  S.  ii.  3  ;  Ro.  xii.  3,  16) ;  defiles  (Mat.  vii.  20, 
22);  hardens  (Dan.  v.  20).  Saints  give  not  way  to  (Ps.  cxxxi.  1); 
respect  not  (xl.  4);  mourn  over  (Jer.  xiii.  17);  hate  (Ps.  ci.  5). 
A  hindrance  to  seeking  God  (x  4 ;  Hos.  vii.  10)  ;  to  improve- 
ment (Pr.  xxvi.  12).  A  characteristic  of  the  devil  (1  Tim.  iii.  6)  ; 
world  (1  Jo.  ii.  16);  false  teachers  (1  Tim.  vi.  3,4);  wicked  (Hab. 
ii.  4,  5;  Ro.  i.  30;  Ps.  lxxiii.  6).  Comes  fr.  the  heart  (Mk.  vii. 
21-23).  Leads  to  contempt  and  rejection  of  Bible  and  ministers 
(Jer.  xliii.  2);  persecution  (Ps.  x.  2 ;)  wrath  (Pr.  xxi.  24);  con- 
tention (xiii.  10,  xxviii.  25)  ;  self-deception  (Jer.  xlix.  16  ;  Oba.  3). 
Exhortation  against  (Jer.  xiii.  15).  Is  followed  by  shame  (Pr.  xi.  2) ; 
debasement  (xxix.  23;  Is.  xxviii.  3);  destruction  (Pr.  xvi.  18, 
xviii.  12).  Shall  abound  in  the  last  days  (2  Tim.  iii.  2).  Woe  to 
(Is.  xxviii.  1,3).  Those  guilty  of,  shall  be  resisted  (Jas.  iv.  6)  ; 
brought  into  contempt  (Is.  xxiii.  9)  ;  recompensed  (Ps.  xxxi.  23)  ; 
marred  (Jer.  xiii.  9)  ;  subdued  (Ex.  xviii.  11  ;  Is.  xiii.  11) ;  brought 
low  (Ps.  xviii.  27;  Is.  ii.  12);  abased  (Dan.  iv.  37,  cf.  Mat.  xxiii. 
12) ;  scattered  (Lu.  i.  51);  punished  (Zep.  ii.  10,  11  ;  Mai.  iv.  1). 

III.— Illustrations.— Examples  :  Ahithophel  (2  S.  xvii.  23)  ;  Heze- 
kiah  (2  Ch.  xxxii.  25)  ;  Pharaoh  (Neh.  ix.  10) ;  Haman  (Est.  iii.  5)  ;  Moab 
(Is.  xvi.  6) ;  Tyre  (xxiii.  9) ;  Israel  (xxviii.  1 ;  Hos.  v.  5-9)  ;  Judah  (Jer. 
xiii.  9)  ;  Babvlon  (Jer.  1.  29,  32)  ;  Assyria  (Ez.  xxxi.  3,  10) ;  Nebuchad- 
nezzar (Dan.  iv.  30,  v.  20)  ;  Belshazzar  (v.  22,  23)  ;  Edom  (Oba.  3);  Scribes 
(Mk.  xii.  38,  39) ;  Herod  (Ac.  xii.  21-23) ;  Laodiceans  (Rev.  iii.  17). 

IV. — Moral  and  Religions   Suggestions. — "  Beware  of  that 

p.  wh.  makes  a  parade  of  being  humble,  and  avoid  all  occasions  of  showing 
thyself  before  men  ;  feel  thyself  as  nothing,  and  then  thou  wilt  act  as  if 
self  were  put  quite  aside  ;  speak  not  oi  thy  sins  ;  do  not  distinguish  thyself 
by  any  unusual  plainness  of  dress  or  manner,  but  seek  to  behave  in  that 
way  wh.  will  attract  the  least  notice  fr.  others."     (Dr.  Rook.) 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  199 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Pride; 

"  And  the  devil  did  grin,  for  his  darling  sin 
Is  pride  that  apes  humility."      {Coleridge.) 
"  John  Birnyan  had  a  great  dread  of  spiritual  pride ;  and  once  aft.  he 
ha  I  preached  a  very  fine  .sermon,  and  his  friends  crowded  round  to  shake 
him    by  the  hand,   while  they  expressed   the  utmost  admiration  of  his 
ace,  he  interrupted  them,  .saying.  'Ay  !  you  need  not  remind  me  of 
that,  for  the  devil  told  me  of  it  before  I  was  out  of  the  pulpit.'  "   (Soulhcy.) 
"  Of  all  human  actions,  p.  seldomest  obtains  its  end  ;  for,  aiming  at  honour 
and  reputation,  it  reaps  only  contempt  and  derision."     (Waller.) 
"  Pride  (of  all  others  the  most  common  fault) 
Proceeds  fr.  want  of  sense,  or  want  of  thought."     (Roscommon.) 
"I  have   observed   many  tumbles  through  life;    but  I   have   invariably 
noticed  that  it  is  the  man  who  mounts  the  high  horse  that  receives  the 
least  pity  when  he  falls." 

"  Stranger,  be  warned  ;  and  know  that  pride, 
Howe  er  disguised  in  its  own  majesty, 
Is  littleness  ;  that  he  who  feels  contempt 
For  any  living  thing  hath  faculties 
Which  he  hath  never  used.     The  man  whose  eye 
Is  ever  on  himself,  doth  look  on  one 
The  least  of  nature's  works,  one  who  might  move 
The  wise  man  to  that  scorn  which  wisdom  holds 
"Unlawful  ever.     Oh,  be  wiser,  thou  ! 
Instructed  that  true  knowledge  leads  to  love — 
True  dignity  abides  with  him  alone 
Who  still  suspects,  and  still  reveres  himself 
In  lowliness  of  heart."  ( Wordsworth.) 

"  A  proud  man  is  a  fool  in  a  fermentation,  that  swells  and  boils  over  like 
a  porridge  pot.  He  sets  out  his  feathers  like  an  owl,  to  swell  and  seem 
bigg  r  than  he  is.  Ho  is  troubled  with  a  tumour  and  inflammation  of 
neit.  that  renders  every  part  of  him  stiff  and  uneasy."  (Butler.) 
"  Pride  had  her  beginning  among  the  angels  that  fell,  her  continuance  in 
earth,  her  end  in  hell."  (Adams.)  "Remember  what  thou  wert  before  thy 
bii-th — nothing.  What  thou  wert  for  many  years  after — weakness. 
What  in  all  thy  life  — a  great  sinner.  What  in  all  thy  excellencies — a 
mere  debtor  to  God,  to  thy  parents,  to  the  earth,  to  all  the  creatures.  Up- 
on these  or  the  like  meditations,  if  we  dwell,  and  frecpaently  retire  to  thtm, 
we  shall  see  nothing  more  reasonable  than  to  be  humble,  and  nothing 
more  foolish  than  to  be  proud."  (Tip.  Taylor.)  "  Pride  is  a  vice  which 
cleaveth  BO  fast  unto  the  hearts  of  men,  that  if  we  were  to  strip  ourselves 
of  : ill  faults  one  by  one,  we  should  undoubtedly  find  it  the  very  last  and 
hardest  to  pull  off."  (Hooker.)  "  Pride  signifies  such  an  exalted  idea  of  our- 
Belves,  as  leads  to  self-esteem,  and  to  contempt  of  others.  It  is  self-admi- 
ration, selt'-doating.  It  differs  from  vanity  thus  :  pride  causes  us  to  value 
ourselves;  vanity  makes  us  anxious  for  applause.  Pride  renders  a  man 
odious,  vanity  makes  him  ridiculous."   (/.  A.  James.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — Imitate  Jesus.  Let  His  mind  be  in  you. 
Consider  your  sinfulness  in  nature  and  deed,  in  act  and  in  capability  of 
sinning,  and  humble  yourself.  "  Choose  the  company  of  your  superiors, 
whenever  you  can  have  it ; — that  is  the  light  and  true  pride."' 


200  TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS. 

Envy.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "  As  rust  consumes  iron,  so  E.  corrupts 
man."  {Antisthenes.)  "E.  is  an  ill-natured  vice,  and  is  made  up  of  mean- 
ness and  malice.  It  wishes  the  force  of  goodness  to  be  strained,  and 
the  measure  of  happiness  abated.  It  laments  over  prosperity,  and 
sickens  at  the  sight  of  health.  It  oftentimes  wants  spirit,  as  well  as 
good-nature."  {Jeremy  Collier.)  "E.  the  rottenness  of  the  bones." 
{Proverbs.)  "  E.  is,  of  all  others,  the  most  ungratifyingand  disconso- 
late passion.  There  is  power  for  ambition,  pleasure  for  luxury,  and 
pelf  even  for  covetousness  ;  but  E.  gets  no  reward  but  vexation." 
"  E.  is  the  daughter  of  pride,  the  author  of  murder  and  revenge,  the 
beginner  of  secret  sedition,  and  the  perpetual  tormentor  of  virtue. 
E.  is  the  filthy  slime  of  the  soul,  a  poison,  or  quicksilver,  wh.  con- 
sumeth  the  flesh,  and  drieth  up  the  marrow  of  the  bones."  {Socrates.) 
"As  a  moth  gnaws  a  garment,  so  doth  E.  consume  a  man." 
{Chrysostom.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Envy.— Forbidden  (Pr.  iii.  31  ;  Ro.  xiii. 
13.)  Produced  by  disputations  (1  Tim.  vi.  4).  Excited  by  good 
deeds  of  others  (Ec.  iv.  4).  A  work  of  flesh  (Gal.  v.  21  ;  Jas.  iv.  5). 
Hurtful  (Job  v.  2;  Pr.  xiv.  30).  None  can  withstand  (xxvii.  4). 
A  proof  of  carnal-mindedness  (1  Cor.  iii.  1,  3).  Inconsistent  (Jas.  iii. 
14).  Hinders  growth  in  grace  (1  Pet.  ii.  1,  2.)  The  wicked  are  full 
of  (Ro.  i.  29) ;  live  in  (Tit.  iii.  3).  Leads  to  evil  work  (Jas.  iii.  16). 
Prosperity  of  wicked  should  not  excite  (Ps.  xxxvii.  1,  35,  lxxiii. 
3,  17-20).     Punishment  of  (cvi.  16,  17 ;  Is.  xxvi.  11). 

III.  Illustrations. — Examples :  Cain  (Ge.  iv,  5)  ;  Philistines  (xxvi. 
14)  ;  Laban's  sons  (xxxi.  1)  ;  Joseph's  brethren  (xxxvii.  11)  ;  Joshua 
(Nu.  xi.  28,  29) ;  Aaron,  &c.  (xii.  2) ;  Korah,  &c.  (xvi.  3,  cf.  Ps.  cvi.  16) ; 
Saul  (1  S.  xviii.  8)  ;  Sanballat,  &c.  (Neh.  ii.  10)  ;  Haman  (Est.  v.  13) ; 
Edomites  (Ez.  xxxv.  11);  Princess  of  Babylon  (Dan.  vi.  3,  4);  Chief 
Priests  (Mk.  xv.  10) ;  Jews  (Ac.  xiii.  45,  xvii.  5). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — "  A  number  of 
physicians  were  once  disputing  as  to  what  would  be  the  best  to  sharpen 
the  sight.  Some  recommended  one  thing,  and  some  another,  till  at  last 
one  said  there  was  nothing  would  do  it  like  envy,  for  it  magnifies  and 
multiplies  all  the  errors  of  man." 

"  Envy  sees  stains  upon  the  flower  most  chaste, 
And  hates  all  goodness,  for  she  shares  it  not ; 
Her  heart  a  wilderness,  each  fairer  spot 
Reminds  her  of  her  own  uncultured  waste, 
Where  duty  dies,  neglected  and  forsworn  : 
The  weeds  of  malice,  poisonous  and  rank, 
Choking  each  struggling  flower,  'mid  vapours  dank, 
Soon  claim  their  rule  upon  the  spot  forlorn  ; 
But  where  the  heart,  by  truth  and  virtue  till'd, 
Feels  the  attack  which  venom'd  envy  leads, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  201 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGlOy.  [Envy. 

Pit}'  is  roused,  and  indignation  still'd  : 
For  truth,  when  tried,  o'er  all  her  foes  succeeds, — 
Nor  smiling  falsehood,  nor  unblushing  spite 
Can  harm  her  ;  for  she  knows  that  God  protects  the  right." 
"  If  you  act  a  part  truly  great,  you  may  expect  that  men  of  mean  spirits, 
who  cannot  reach  you,  will  endeavour  by  detraction  to  pull  you  down 
to  their  level.     But  posterity  will  do  you  justice  :    for  envy  will  die 
with  you." 

"  And  next  to  him  malicious  envy  rode 

Upon  a  ravenous  wolfe,  and  still  did  chaw 

Between  his  cankered  teeth  a  venomous  tode, 

That  all  the  poison  run  about  his  chaw  ; 

But  inwardly  he  chawed  his  own  mawe 

At  neebors  welth,  that  made  him  ever  sad ; 

For  death  it  was  when  any  good  he  saw, 

And  wept  that  cause  of  weeping  none  he  had ; 
But  when  he  heard  of  harm,  he  wexed  wondrous  glad. 

All  in  a  kirtle  of  discoloured  say 

He  clothed  was,  ypaynted  full  of  eies ; 

And  in  his  bosom  secretly  there  lay 

An  hateful  snake,  the  which  his  tail  uptyes 

In  many  folds,  and  mortal  styng  implyes ; 

Still  as  he  rode,  he  gnasht  his  teeth  to  see 

Those  heads  of  gold  with  griple  covetsye 

And  grudged  at  the  great  felicitie 
Of  proud  Lucifera,  and  his  own  companie. 

He  hated  all  good  workes  and  virtuous  deeds, 

And  him  no  lesse  that  any  like  did  use ; 

And  who  with  gratious  bread  the  hungry  feeds, 

His  almes  for  want  of  faith  he  doth  accuse; 

So  every  good  to  bad  he  doth  abuse : 

And  eke  the  verse  of  famous  poets'  witt 

He  doth  backebite,  and  spitefull  poison  spues 

From  leprous  mouth  on  all  that  ever  writt : 
Such  one  vile  Envy  was,  that  fifte  in  rowe  did  sitte."      {Spenser.) 

"  In  the  sea  of  malice  e.  frequently  gets  out  of  her  depth,  and  whilst  she 
is  expecting  to  see  another  drowned,  she  is  either  drowned  herself,  or 
dashed  agaiust  a  rock." 

V.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Rejoice  in  the  -well-being  and  doing  of 
others.  2.  Let  each  esteem  others  better  than  himself.  3.  That  wh.  we 
are  tempted  to  covet  in  another,  we  ourselves  might  have  more  of  by  seeking 
or  cultivating  it.  4.  While  we  are  disposed  to  envy  others,  we  may  have 
something  that  they  have  not.  5.  Let  each  one  have  rejoicing  in  himself. 
6.  Imitate  Jesus,  who  envied  none,  but  found  His  happiness  in  knowing, 
loving,  and  serving  God. 


202  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Covetousness.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "  Austin  defines  c.  a  dishonest  and  in- 
satiable desire  of  gain  ;  and  in  one  of  his  epistles  compares  it  to  hell, 
1  wh  devours  all,  and  yet  never  hath  enough,  a  bottomless  pit,'  and 
endless  misery."  [Burton.)  "  The  covetous  man  pines  in  plenty,  like 
Tantalus  up  to  the  chin  in  water,  and  yet  thirsty."  [Adams.)  "  The 
covetous  give  more  heed  to  the  priests  of  Janus  than  to  the  apostles 
of  Jesus."  [Ibid.)  "  As  the  dog  in  JEsop's  fable  lost  the  real  flesh  for 
the  shadow  of  it,  so  the  covetous  man  casts  away  the  true  riches  for 
the  love  of  the  shadowy."  [Ibid.)  "  c,  like  a  candle  ill-made,  smothers 
the  splendour  of  a  happy  fortune  in  its  own  grease."  "  He  that 
visits  the  sick  in  hope  of  a  legacy,  let  him  be  never  so  friendly  in  all 
other  cases,  I  look  upon  him  in  this  to  be  no  better  than  a  raven,  that 
watches  a  weak  sheep  only  to  peck  out  its  eyes."    [Seneca.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Covetousness.  —  Comes  fr.  heart 
(Mk.  vii.  22,23);  engrosses  (Ez.  xxxiii.  31 ;  2  Pet.  ii.  14);  is  idolatry 
(Ep.  v.  5;  Col.  iii.  5);  the  root  of  all  evil  (1  Tim.  vi.  10);  never 
satisfied  (Ec.  v.  10;  Hab.  ii.  5);  vanity  (Ps.  xxxix.  6;  Ec.  iv.  8). 
Inconsistent  in  saints  (Eph.  v.  3;  Heb.  xiii.  5),  specially  in  ministers 
(1  Tim.  iii.  3).  Leads  to  injustice  (Pr.  xxviii.  20  ;  Mic.  ii.  2) ;  foolish 
lusts  (1  Tim.  vi.  9)  ;  apostacy  (1  Tim.  vi.  10) ;  lving  (2  K.  v.  22-25); 
murder  (Pr.  i.  18,  19;  Ez.  xxii.  12);  theft  (Jos.  vii.  21);  poverty 
(Pr.  xxviii.  22);  misery  (1  Tim.  vi.  10);  domestic  affliction  (Pr. 
xv.  27).  Abhorred  by  God  (Ps.  x.  3);  forbidden  (Ex.  xx.  17); 
a  mark  of  the  wicked  (Po.  i.  29) ;  the  slothful  (Pr.  xxi.  26) ; 
commended  by  wicked  (Ps.  x  3) ;  hated  by  saints  (Ex.  xviii.  21 ;  Ac. 
xx.  33) ;  by  whom  mortified  (Col.  iii.  5) ;  woe  against  (Is.  v.  8  ;  Hab. 
ii.  9);  punishment  of  (Job  xx.  15;  Is.  lvii.  17;  Jer.  xxii.  17-19; 
Mic.  ii.  2,  3);  excludes  from  heaven  (1  Cor.  vi.  10;  Eph.  v.  5); 
beware  of  (Lu.  xii.  15);  avoid  those  guilty  of  (1  Cor.  v.  11);  pray 
against  (Ps.  cxix.  36) ;  reward  of  those  who  hate  (Pr.  xxviii.  16)  j 
shall  abound  in  the  last  days  (2  Tim.  iii.  2 ;  2  Pet.  ii.  1-3). 

III.  Illustrations. — Examples:  Laban  (Ge.  xxxi.  41);  Achan  (Jos. 
vii.  21);  Eli's  sons  (1  S.  ii.  12-14);  Samuel's  sons  (viii.  3);  Saul  (xv. 
9,  19);  Ahab  (1  K.  xxi.  2,  &c);  Gehazi  (2  K.  v.  20-24);  nobles  of  the 
Jews  (Neh.  v.  7;  Is.  i.  23);  Jewish  priests  (Is.  lvi.  11;  Jer.  vi.  13); 
Babylon  (Jer.  Ii.  13);  young  man  (Mat.  xix.  22);  Judas  (Mat.  xxvi.  14, 
15  ;  Jo.  xii.  6) ;  Pharisees  (Lu.  xvi.  14) ;  Ananias,  &c.  (Ac.  v.  1-10) ; 
Demetrius  (Ac.  xix.  27) ;  Felix  (Ac.  xxiv.  26)  ;  Balaam  (2  Pet.  ii.  15, 
with  Ju.  11). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — "  Some  men  are  so 
covetous,  as  if  they  were  to  live  for  ever  ;  and  others  so  profuse,  as  if  they 
were  to  die  the  next  moment."  [Aristotle.)  "  The  covetous  man  lives  as 
if  the  world  were  made  altogether  for  him,  and  not  he  for  the  world ;  to 
take  in  everything,  and  part  with  nothing."  [South.)  "The  covetous 
man  heaps  up  riches,  not  to  enjoy  them,  but  to  have  them  ;  and  starves 
himself  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  and  most  unnaturally  cheats  and  robs  him- 
self of  that  which  is  his  own ;  and  makes  a  hard  shift  to  be  as  poor  and 


TOPICS    FOR-  TEACHERS.  203 

Ethics]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Covetousness. 

miserable  with  a  great  estate  as  any  man  can  be  without  it."     (Tillotson.) 

It  is  of  the  covetous  that  Pollok  says : — 

"  Of  all  God  made  upright, 
And  in  their  nostrils  breathed  a  living  soul, 
Most  fallen,  most  prone,  most  earthy,  most  debased : 
Of  all  that  sold  eternity  for  time, 
None  bargain'd  on  so  easy  terms  with  death ; 
Illustrious  fool !  nay,  most  inhuman  wretch ! 
He  sat  among  his  bugs,  and  with  a  look 
Which  hell  might  be  ashamed  of,  drove  the  poor 
Away  unalms'd ;  and  'midst  abundance  died, — 
Sorest  of  evils !  died  of  utter  want." 

When  will  churches  make  c.  a  question  for  discipline,  and  rank  it  with 
drunkenness,  slander,  and  other  varieties  of  immorality?  One  brave  minister 
is  known  to  the  writer  who  brought  the  case  of  a  very  rich  and  covetous 
member  before  his  people,  his  private  expostulations  and  warnings  having 
been  in  vain.  The  church  was  worthy  of  their  pastor,  and  the  money- 
loving  member  was  expelled.  Covetousness — the  deeply-rooted  love  of 
gain,  the  cherished  habit  of  years — is  too  often  passed  over ;  while  some 
other  sin — not  by  any  means  a  habit,  and  wh.  does  not,  therefore,  neces- 
sarily indicate  an  utterly  corrupt  nature, — into  wh.  one  has  been  suddenly 
betrayed  by  overwhelming  temptation,  is  held  up  to  obloquy,  and  involves 
excommunication !  "  When  I  was  a  lad,"  says  one,  "  an  old  gentleman  took 
some  trouble  to  teach  me  some  little  knowledge  of  the  world.  With  this 
view,  I  remember,  he  once  asked  me  when  a  man  was  rich  enough  ?  I  re- 
plied,'When  he  has  a  thousand  pounds.'  He  said, 'No.'  'Two  thousand?' 
'No.'  ' Ten  thousand ? '  'No.'  ' Twenty  thousand  ? '  'No.'  'A  hundred 
thousand  ? '  which  I  thought  would  settle  the  business ;  but  he  still  continued 
to  say,  'No.'  I  gave  it  up,  and  confessed  I  could  not  tell,  but  begged  he 
would  inform  me.  He  gravely  said, '  When  he  has  a  little  more  than  he  has, 
and  that  is  never.  If  he  acquires  one  thousand,  he  wishes  to  have  two  thou- 
sand ;  then  five,  then  twenty,  then  fifty ;  from  that  his  riches  would 
amount  to  a  hundred  thousand,  and  so  on,  till  he  has  grasped  the  whole 
world ;  after  which  he  would  look  about  him,  like  Alexander,  for  other 
worlds  to  possess."  (Bates's  Ency.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — One,  to  cure  himself  of  c,  was  recommended 
to  go  out  every  morning  among  the  poor,  and  give  away  24  penny  pieces. 
He  was  amazed  at  the  joy  so  small  a  sum  produced,  and  became  a  bene- 
volent and  happy  man. 

"  Men  say  you  are  wealthy,  but  falsely,  I'm  sure, 
And  thus  I  can  prove  it,  my  friend ; 
You  have  not  a  penny  to  give  to  the  poor, 

Nor  have  you  a  penny  to  spend. 
You  keep,  it  is  true,  an  abundance  of  pelf, 
But  that's  for  your  heirs — it  is  not  for  yourself." 
Christians  should  be  taught  economy,  and  encouraged  to  save,  but  also  to 
give  a  certain  part  away. 


204 


TOPICS    FOE    TEACHERS. 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Definitions,  &C— "  The  odour  flowers  yield  when  trampled  on." 
"  Forgiveness  is  the  most  refined  and  generous  point  of  virtue  that 
human  nature  can  attain  to.     Cowards  have   done  good  and  kind 


actions  ;  but  a  coward  never  forgave,  it  is  not  in  his  nature."  "  "When 
a  man  but  half  forgives  his  enemy,  it  is  like  leaving  a  bag  of  rusty 
nails  to  interpose  between  them."    {Latimer.)     "  You  should  forgive 
many  things  in  others,  but  nothing  in  yourself."     [Ansonius.) 
"  To  have  the  power  to  forgive 
Is  empire  and  prerogative  ; 
And  'tis  in  crowns  a  nobler  gem, 
To  grant  a  pardon  than  condemn."     {Butler.) 
"  It  is  vain  for  you  to  expect,  it  is  impudent  for  you  to  ask  of  God 
forgiveness  on  your  own  behalf,  if  you  refuse  to  exercise  this  for- 
giving spirit  with  respect  to  others."     {Headley.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Forgiveness. — Christ,  an  example  of  (Lu. 
xxiii.  34).  Commanded  (Mk.  xi.  25;  Ro.  xii.  19).  Unlimited 
(Mat.  xviii.  22  ;  Luke  xvii.  4).  A  characteristic  of  saints  (Ps.  vii.  4). 
Motives  to:  mercy  of  God  (Lu.  vi.  36);  need  of  forgiveness  (Mk. 
xi.  25) ;  God's  forgiveness  (Eph.  iv.  32)  ;  Christ's  forgiveness  (Col. 
iii.  13).  A  glory  to  saints  (Pr.  xix.  11).  Should  be  accompanied  hy 
forbearance  (Col.  iii.  13);  kindness  (Gen.  xliv.  5-11;  Ro,_xii.  20); 
blessing  and  prayer  (Mat.  v.  44).  Promises  to  (Mat.  vi.  14 ;  Luke 
vi.  37).     No  forgiveness  without  (Mat.  vi.  15;  Jas  ii.  13). 

III.— Illustrations.— Mat.  xviii.  23-35. — Examples  :  Joseph  (Gen.  1. 
20,  21) ;  David  (1  Sam.  xxiv.  7  ;  2  Sam.  xviii.  5  ;  2  Sam.  xix.  23) ;  Solomon  (1 
Kin.  i.  53)  ;  Stephen  (Acts  vii.  60) ;  Paul  (2  Tim.  iv.  16).  To  a  gentleman 
who  was  angry  with  his  servant,  and  who  said,  "I  never  forgive,"  Mr. "Wesley 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  205 


TRUE  RELIGION.  [Forgiveness. 


replied,  "Then  I  hope  you  never  sin."  "  '  What  can  Jesus  Christ  do  for  you 
now?'  said  an  inhuman  slave-master,  when  in  the  act  of  applying 'the 
lacerating  whip  to  an  already  half-murdered  slave.        Him  teach  me  to 
forgive  you,  massa,'  was  his  reply."     (PhUippa.) 
"  When  on  the  fragrant  sandal-tree 
The  woodman's  axe  descends,    ■ 
And  she  who  hloomed  so  heauteously, 
Beneath  the  weapon  bends, 
E'en  on  the  edge  that  wrought  her  death, 
Dying,  she  breathes  her  sweetest  breath, 
As  if  to  token,  in  her  fall, 
Peace  to  her  foes,  and  love  to  all. 
How  hardly  man  this  lesson  learns, 
To  smile,  and  bless  the  hand  that  spurns ; 
To  see  the  blow,  to  feel  the  pain, 
And  render  only  love  again ! 
One  had  it — but  He  came  from  heaven  ; 
Reviled,  rejected,  and  betrayed, 
No  curse  He  breathed,  no  plaint  He  made, 
But  when  in  death's  dark  pang  He  sighed, 
Prayed  for  His  murderers,  and  died."  (Edmonston.) 

IV.  Moral   and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  He  that  cannot 

forgive  others,  breaks  the  bridge  over  which  he  must  pass  himself ;  for 
every  man  has  need  to  be  forgiven."  (Id.  Herbert.)  "  When  thou  for- 
givest,  the  man  who  has  pierced  thy  heart  stands  to  thee  in  the  relation  of 
the  sea-worm  that  perforates  the  shell  of  the  mussel,  which  straightway 
closes  the  wound  with  a  pearl."  (Ricltter.)  Forgiveness  should  be  prompt, 
full,  cordial.  "  There  is  an  ugly  kind  of  forgiveness  in  this  woi^i — a  kind 
of  hedge-hog  forgiveness,  shot  out  like  quills.  Men  take  one  who  has 
offended,  and  set  him  down  before  the  blowpipe  of  their  indignation,  and 
scorch  him,  and  burn  his  fault  into  him,  and  when  they  have  kneaded  him 
sufficiently  with  their  fiery  fists,  then — they  forgive  him."  (Beecher.') 
"  Kind  hearts  are  here,  yet  would  the  tenderest  one 

Have  limits  to  its  mercy,  God  has  none ; 

But  man's  forgiveness  may  be  true  and  sweet, 

But  yet  he  stoops  to  give  it ;  more  complete 

Is  love  that  lays  forgiveness  at  thy  feet 

And  pleads  with  thee  to  raise  it;  only  heaven 

Means  crowned,  not  vanquished,  when  it  says,  '  Forgiven ! '  " 

(A.  A.  Procter.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Forgive  and  forget;  not  as  Rich.  I.,  who  said 
to  his  brother,  "  John,  I  forgive,  but  I  shall  never  forget."  God  forgives, 
and  remembers  our  iniquities  no  more  for  ever.  2.  He  who  cannot  forgive, 
cannot  sincerely  say  the  Lord's  prayer.  3.  We  who  hope  that  God 
will  forgive  us — His  inferiors,  dependents  on  His  bounty,  who  have  sinned 
against  light,  knowledge,  &c.  &c,  ought  to  find  it  not  only  possible,  but 
easy  to  forgive  others. 

"  Forgiveness  to  the  injured  does  belong ; 
But  they  ne'er  pardon  who  have  done  the  wrong."     (Dryden.) 

Vol.  II.— 14 


206  TOPICS    FOE    TEACHEPS. 


Patience.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "  Patience  conquers  all."  "  Patience  is 
power  in  a  man,  warning  him  to  rein  his  spirit." 

"  Patience  in  cowards  is  tame,  hopeless  fear  : 
But  in  brave  minds,  a  scorn  of  what  they  bear."  (Dryden.) 
"  Patience  is  the  guardian  -of  faith,  the  preserver  of  peace,  the 
cherisher  of  love,  the  teacher  of  humility.  P.  governs  the  flesh, 
strengthens  the  spirit,  sweetens  the  temper,  stifles  anger,  ex- 
tinguishes envy,  subdues  pride  ;  she  bridles  the  tongue,  refrains  the 
hand,  tramples  upon  temptations,  endures  persecutions,  consummates 
martyrdom.  P.  produces  unity  in  the  church,  loyalty  in  the  state, 
harmony  in  families  and  societies  ;  she  comforts  the  poor  and  mode- 
rates the  rich  ;  she  makes  us  humble  in  prosperity,  cheerful  in  ad- 
versity, unmoved  by  calumny  and  reproach  ;  she  teaches  us  to  forgive 
those  who  have  injured  us,  and  to  be  the  first  in  asking  forgiveness 
of  those  whom  wre  have  injured ;  she  delights  the  faithful,  and  in- 
vites the  unbelieving  ;  she  adorns  the  woman,  and  approves  the  man  ; 
is  loved  in  a  child,  praised  in  a  young  man,  admired  in  an  old  man  ; 
she  is  beautiful  in  either  sex,  anil  in  every  age."     {Bp.  Home.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Patience.— God,  the  God  of  (Ro.  xv.  5). 
Christ,  an  example  (Is.  liii.  7,  cf.  Ac  vii.  32  ;  Mat.  xxvii.  14.) 
Enjoined  (Tit.  i..  2  ;  2  Pet.  i.  6).  Its  perfect  work  (Jas.  i.  4).  Trials 
lead  to  (Ro.  v.  3;  Jas  i;  3.)  Produces  experience  (Ro.  v.  4) ;  hope 
(Ro.  xv.  4).  Suffering  with,  for  well-doing,  is  acceptable  (1  Pet. 
li.  20).  To  be  exercised  in  running  the  race  (Heb.  xii.  1);  bringing 
forth  fruits  (Lu.  viii.  15);  Avell-doing  (Ro.  ii.  7;  Gal.  vi.  9); 
waiting  for  God  (Ps.  xxxvii.  7;  Ps.  xl.  1);  for  Christ  (1  Cor.  i.  7; 
2  Thes.  ill.  5) ;  for  hope  of  gospel  (Ro.  viii.  25 ;  Gal.  v.  5)  ;  for  God's 
salvation  (Lam.  iii.  26)  ;  bearing  yoke  (Lam.  iii.  27) ;  tribulation 
(Lu.  xxi.  19;  Ro-  xii.  12).  Necessary  to  inheritance  of  promises 
(Heb.  vi.  12;  Heb.  x.  30).  Exercise  (1  Thes.  v.  14).  Those  in 
authority  should  exercise  (Mat.  xviii.  26  ;  Ac.  xxvi.  3).  Ministers 
follow  after  (1  Tim.  v.  11).  Approved  by  (2  Cor.  vi.  4).  Should  be 
accompanied  by  godliness  (2  Pet.  i.  6) ;  faith  (2  Thes.  -i.  4  ;  Heb.  vi.  12  ; 
Rev.  xiii.  10)  ;  temperance  (2  Pet.  i.  6)  ;  long-suffering  (Col.  i.  11)  ; 
joyfulness  (Col.  L  11).  Saints  strengthened  unto  all  (Col.  i.  1). 
Commended  (Ec.  vii.  8  ;  Rev.  ii.  2,  3). 

III.  Illustrations.— Examples  of:  (Jas.  v.  7) ;  Job  (Job  i.  21  ;  Jas. 
v.  11) ;  Simeon  (Lu.  ii.  25)  ;  Paul  (2  Tim.  iii.  10)  ;  Abraham  (Heb.  vi. 
15) ;  prophets  (Jas.  v.  10) ;  John  (Rev.  i.  9).  Jewish  tradition  relates 
that  Abraham  drove  a  strange  old  man  from  his  tent,  because  he  asked  no 
blessing  on  his  meat.  When  the  old  man  was  gone,  God  called  to  Abraham, 
and  asked  him  where  the  stranger  was  ?  He  replied,  "  I  thrust  him  away 
because  he  did  not  worship  Thee."  God  answered  him,  "  I  have  suffered 
him  these  hundred  years,  though  he  dishonoured  me,  and  couldst  not  thou 
endure  him  one  night,  when  he  gave  thee  no  trouble  ?  "  Upon  this,  saith 
the  story,  Abraham  fetched  him  back  again,  and  gave  him  hospitable 
entertainment  and  wise  instruction.     {Ab.Jr.  Jer.  Tat/lor.) 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  207 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Patience" 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  If  thou  intendest  to 
vanquish  the  greatest,  the  most  abominable,  and  wickedest  enemy,  who  is 
able  to  do  thee  mischief  both  in  body  and  soul,  and  against  whom  thou 
preparest  all  sorts  of  weapons,  but  cannot  overcome,  then  know  that  there 
is  a  sweet  and  loving  physical  herb  to  serve  thee,  named  Tutientia." 
(Luther.) 

"  How  poor  are  they  who  have  not  patience ! 
What  wound  did  ever  heal  but  by  degrees?"     (Shakspeare.) 
"  Thoroughly  to  try  a  man's  patience,  he  must  have  the  labour  of  years 
consumed  before  his  eyes  in  a  moment;  thoroughly  to  prove  it,  he  must 
instantly  begin  to  renew  his  labour."     (III.  Sir  I.  Newton  and  his  doff.) 

"  Angel  of  patience  !  sent  to  calm 
Our  feverish  brows  with  cooling  palm ; 
To  lay  the  storms  of  hope  and  fear, 
And  reconcile  life's  smile  and  tear ; 
The  throbs  of  wounded  pride  to  still 
And  make  our  own  our  Father's  will. 
Oh  !  thou  who  mournest  on  thy  way, 
With  longings  for  the  close  of  day  ; 
He  walks  with  thee,  that  angel  kind, 
And  gently  whispers, '  Be  resigned  : 
Bea'r  up,  bear  on,  the  end  shall  tell 
The  dear  Lord  ordereth  all  things  well.'  "     (Whit Her.) 

"  By  patience  Job  did  bear  all  the  torments  that  the  devil  could  heap 
upon  him  ;  by  patience  Jacob  put  up  with  a  thousand  wrongs  from  Laban 
and  his  children,  and  never  complained  in  one-and-twenty  years  before  ho 
departed  ;  by  patience  Joseph  forgave  his  brethren  when  he  might  have 
put  them  to  death,  and  gave  them  food  when  they  feared  revenge  ;  by 
patience   Christ  suffered  punishment  and  reproaches  and  scourges,  until 
He  went  to  His  death,  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter."  (H.  Smith.) 
K'Tis patience,  the  beloved  of  heaven!  the  meek, 
The  mild,  the  lowly,  and  the  gentle  patience, 
Whose  eye  looks  up  to  God ;  and  ne'er  unbends 
Its  fixed  and  placid  gaze  to  look  upon 
The  thorns  that  tear  her  bleeding  breast ;  who  stands 
Pale,  calm,  unmoved  amid  the  storms  of  life ; 
Whose  soul  weeps  not  for  hearts'  torture  ;  patience, 
The  meek-eyed  pilgrim  of  the  earth,  that  child 
Of  heaven — perfection's  crown."     (Reddell.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — "  No  man  can  learn  patience  except  by  going 
out  into  the  hurly-burly  world,  and  taking  life  just  as  it  blows.  Patience 
is  but  lyinn-to,  and  riding  out  the  gale."  (Beeeher.)  As  the  tree  cast  into 
the  waters  by  Moses  sweetened  them  so  patience  will  sweeten  our  troubles. 
Remember  the  patience  of  Job.  Think  of  the  patience  and  long-suffering 
of  Christ.  If  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,  then  do  we  with  patience  wait 
for  it.  Let  teachers  be  patient :  the  good  seed  needs  time  ;  it  does  not  bear 
a  harvest  all  at  once. 


208  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Hypocrisy.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions. — H.  is  "filling  up  some  radical  defect  with  some 
shallowy  pretence."  (Binney.)  "  H.  is  the  necessary  burden  of 
villainy."    (Dr.  Johnson.)     "  H.  is  the  homage  which  vice  pays  to 

virtue."    (Rochefoucault.)     "  A  H.  is  good  in 
ZM\  nothing  but  sight."    (Pericles.)     "  The  H.  is 

•^  ^"^^T^^x .1  -       ^le  deadly  nightshade  of  humanity."     "  H. 

ijM/L   uli^lllf^l^*^  are  Deinos  °f  darkness,  disguised  in  garments 
^gg?-  '^^^^Jilk^royS^  of  light."     "  H.  do  the  devil's  drudgery  in 
Phylactery.  Christ's  livery."    (Henry.) 

"  A  serpent  with  an  angel's  voice!  a  grave 
With  flowers  bestrew'd."  (Pollok.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Hypocrisy.— God  knows  (Is.  xxix.  15, 16); 
Christ  also  (Mat.  xxii.  18)  ;  God  has  no  pleasure  in  (Is.  ix.  17)  ;  not 
come  before  God  (Job  xiii.  16).  Described  as  wilfully  blind  (Mat. 
xxiii.  17,  19,  26);  vile  (Is.  xxxii.  6);  self-righteous  (Is.  lxv.  5;  Lu. 
xviii.  11);  covetous  (Ez.  xxxiii.  31;  2  Pet.  ii.  3);  proud  (Mat.  vi.  2,  5, 
16,  xxiii.  5);  censorious  (Mat.  vii.  3-5;  Lu.  xiii.  14,  15);  regarding 
tradition  (Mat.  xv.  1-3) ;  exact  in  minor  duties  (Mat,  xxiii.  23,  24)  ; 
having  a  form  of  godliness  (2  Tim.  iii.  5);  seeking  outward  purity 
(Lu.  xi.  39) ;  professing,  not  practising  (Ez.  xxxiii.  31,  32;  Mat.  xxiii. 
3;  Ro.  ii.  17-23);  using  lip- worship  (Is.  xxix.  13,  cf.  Mat.  xv.  8); 
glorying  in  appearance  (2  Cor.  v.  12);  trusting  privileges  (Jer.  vii.  4  ; 
Mat.  iii.  9);  apparently  zealous  (Is.  lviii.  2);  making  proselytes  (Mat. 
xxiii.  15) ;  devouring  widows'  houses  (Mat.  xxiii.  14)  ;  loving  pre- 
eminence (Mat.  xxiii.  6,  7).  Worship  of  (Is.  i.  11-15,  lviii.  3-5  ;  Mat. 
xv.  9);  joy  of,  for  a  moment  (Job  xx.  5) ;  hope  of,  perishes  (Job  viii. 
13,  xxvii.  8,  9);  heap  up  wrath  (Job  xxxvi.  13);  fearfulness  shall 
surprise  (Is.  xxxiii.  14)  ;  destroy  others  (Pr.  xi.  9) ;  are  a  snare  (Job 
xxxiv.  30) ;  the  apostacy  to  abound  with  (1  Tim.  iv.  2) ;  beware  of 
(Lu.  xii.  1);  spirit  of  (1  Pet.  ii.  1) ;  woe  to  (Is.  xxix.  15;  Mat.  xxiii. 
13);  punishment  of  (Job  xv.  34;  Is.  x.  6;  Jer.  xiii.  20,  22;  Mat. 
xxiv.  51). 

III.  Illustrations.— Illustrated  (Mat.  xxiii.  27,  28;  Lu.  xi.  44). 
Exemplified :  Cain  (Ge.  iv.  3)  ;  Absalom  (2  S.  xv.  7,  8) ;  the  Jews  (Jer.  iii. 
10);  Pharisees,  etc.  (Mat.  xvi.  3);  Judas  (xxvi.  49);  Herodians  (Mk.  xii. 
13,  15);  Ananias  (Ac  v.  1-8);  Simon  (viii.  13-23). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — "If  the  devil  ever 
laughs,  it  must  be  at  hypocrites;  they  are  the  greatest  dupes  he  has. 
They  serve  him  better  than  any  others,  and  receive  no  wages ;  nay,  what 
is  still  more  extraordinary,  they  submit  to  greater  mortifications  to  go  to 
hell  than  the  sincerest  Christian  to  go  to  heaven."  (Cotton.)  "A  man  is 
not  what  he  saith,  but  what  he  doeth.  To  say  what  we  do,  and  not  to  do 
what  we  say,  is  but  to  undo  ourselves  by  doing."  (Dyer.)  "The  good- 
meaner  hath  two  tongues,  the  hypocrite  a  double  tongue.  The  good 
man's  heart  speaks  without  his  tongue,  the  hypocrite's  tongue  without  his 
heart."    (Warwick.) 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  209 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Hypocrisy. 

"  I  Bigh,  and  with  a  piece  of  Scripture 
Tell  them,  that  God  bids  us  do  good  for  evil : 
And  thus  I  clothe  my  naked  villainy 
With  old  odd  ends,  stol'n  forth  of  Holy  Writ, 
And  seem  a  saint  when  most  I  play  the  devil."    (Shalspearc.) 
"  He  who  is  passionate  and  hasty  is  generally  honest.     It  is  your  cool, 
dissembling  hypocrite  of  whom  you  should  beware.     There's  no  deception 
in  a  bull-  dog.     It  is  only  the  cur  that  sneaks  up  and  bites  you  when  your 
back  is  turned." 

"  Satan  was  the  first 
That  practised  falsehood  undei;  saintly  show, 
Deep  malice  to  conceal,  couch' d  with  revenge."        {Milton.) 
Hypocrites  injure  both  themselves  and  others.     "  While  every  vice  is  hid 
by  h.,  every  virtue  is  suspected  to  be  h.    This  excuses  the  bad  fr.  imitating 
virtue,  the  ungenerous  fr.  rewarding  it ;  and  the  suspicion  is  looked  upon 
as  wisdom,  as  if  it  was  not  as  necessary  a  part  of  wisdom  to  know  what  to 
believe  as  what  to  reject."    {Mrs.  Montague.) 

"  0  hypocrite,  thy  boldness  strikes  at  heav'n, 
And  makes  its  fervid  saints  appear  impostors."  {Francis.) 
"The  kite  is  a  bird  which  delights  in  the  free  air,  and  soars  aloft,  as  if  it 
would  fain  approach  to  heaven.  All  the  while  however  it  keeps  its  sharp 
eye  continually  directed  to  the  earth,  if  haply  it  may  there  espy  some  prey 
to  feed  upon.  And  like  it  are  hypocrites ;  they  love  to  speak  of  heavenly  . 
and  spiritual  things  ;  they  go  to  church,  and  take  the  holy  supper — they 
read  and  pray  and  sing ;  but,  nevertheless,  their  heart  retains  its  earthly 
inclinations,  and  they  seek  that  which  is  temporal  more  than  that  which 
is  eternal."  (Gotthold.)  "  The  h.  and  saint  are  like  two  men  at  sawing;  the 
hypocrite,  like  him  in  the  pit,  looks  high  upward,  but  pulls  downward ;  the 
saint,  like  him  above,  looks  low,  humbly  downward,  but  pulls  upward. 
The  h.  is  like  a  peach,  which  covers  a  ragged,  craggy  stone  under  a  velvet 
coat;  the  saint,  like  the  chesnut,  hath  a  sweet  kernel,  though  the  cover  be 
rough.  The  h.,  like  Judas,  kisses  Christ,  but  betrays  Him,  and,  like  ivy, 
he  clasps  about  Christ,  but  is  not  united  to  Him ;  he,  again  like  ivy,  derives 
not  sap  and  nourishment  from  Him,  but  from  a  root  of  his  own.  The  h. 
is  like  a  window  cushion,  fairly  wrought  without,  but  stuffed  with  straw." 
(Venning.)  "  A  very  capital  painter  in  London  exhibited  a  piece  repre- 
senting a  friar  habited  in  his  canonicals.  View  the  painting  at  a  distance, 
and  you  would  think  the  friar  to  be  at  prayer.  His  hands  are  clasped  to- 
gether, and  held  horizontally  to  his  breast ;  his  eyes  meekly  demised,  like 
those  of  the  publican  in  the  gospel ;  and  the  good  man  seems  to  be  quite 
absorbed  in  humble  adoration  and  devout  recollection.  But  take  a  nearer 
survey,  and  the  deception  vanishes.  The  book  which  seemed  to  be  before 
him  is  discovered  to  be  a  punch  bowl,  into  which  the  wretch  is  all  the 
while,  in  reality,  only  squeezing  a  lemon."   (Bates's  Ency.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — Seek  to  have  honest  and  good  hearts.  Mean 
what  you  say,  or  be  silent.  The  hypocrite  is  an  incarnate  lie.  "  Lapidaries 
tell  us  01  the  Chelydonian  stone,  that  it  will  retain  its  virtue  and  lustre  no 
longer  than  it  is  enclosed  in  gold :  a  fit  emblem  of  the  hypocrite,  who  is 
only  good  while  he  is  enclosed  in  golden  prosperity,  safety,  and  felicity." 
(Brooks.) 


210 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Justice.  ] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Definitions. — "  J.  consists  in  an  exact  and  scrupulous  regard 
to  the  rights  of  others,  with  a  deliberate  purpose  to  preserve  them  on 
all  occasions  sacredand.  inviolate."  (Buck.)  "  Distributive  3.  belongs  to 

magistrates  or  rulers.and  con- 
sists in  distributing  to  every 
man  that  right  or  equity 
wh.  the  laws  and  the  princi- 
ples of  equity  require.  Com- 
mutative J.  consists  in  fair 
dealing  in  trade  and  mutual 
intercouse  betw.  man  and 
man."  (Maunder.)  "  "What 
is  J.? — To  give  to  every 
man  his  own."  (Aristotle.) 
"  The  virtue  of  J.  consists 
in  moderation,  as  regulated  by  wisdom."  (Ibid).  "  J.  is  the  great 
but  simple  principle,  and  the  whole  secret  of  success  in  all  govern- 
ment. J.  is  as  essential  in  the  training  of  an  infant  as  in  the  go- 
vernment of  a  mighty  nation." 

"  Justice,  like  lightning,  ever  should  appear 
To  few  men's  ruin,  but  to  all  men's  fear."     (Swenam.) 

II.— Bible  Refs.  to  Justice- — Commanded  (Deu.  xvi.  20 ;  Is. 
lvi.  1).  Christ  an  example  (Ps.  xcviii.  9  ;  Is.  xi.  4  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  5). 
Required  in  rulers  (2  S.  xxiii.  3  ;  Ez.  xlv.  9).  To  be  done  in  judg- 
ment (Deu.  xvi.  18  j  Jer.  xxi.  12)  ;  buying  and  selling  (Lev.  x;x. 
36;  Deu.  xxv.  15);  to  poor  (Pr.  xxix.  1*4,  xxxi.  9);  fatherless  and 
widows  (Is.  i.  17);  servants  (Col.  iv.  1).  Gilts  impede  (Ex.  xxiii. 
8).  God  requires  (Mic.  vi.  8)  ;  sets  value  on  (Pr.  xxi.  3) ;  delights 
in  (xi.  1)  ;  gives  wisdom  to  execute  (1  K.  iii.  11,  12;  Pr.  ii.  6,  9) ; 
displeased  with  the  want  of  (Ec.  v.  8).  Brings  its  reward  (Jer. 
xxii.  15).  Saints  should  study  (Phi.  iv.  8);  receive  instruction  in 
(Pr.  i.  3) ;  pray  for  wisdom  to  execute  (1  K.  iii.  9) ;  always  do  (Ps. 
cxix.  121  ;  Ez.  xviii.  8,  9)  ;  take  pleasure  in  (Pr.  xxi.  15)  ;  teach 
others  (Ge.  xviii.  19).  Promises  to  (Is.  xxxiii.  15,  16 ;  Jer.  vii.  5,  7). 
The  wicked  scorn  (Pr.  xix.  28)  ;  abhor  (Mic.  iii.  9) ;  call  not  for  (Is. 
lix.  4) ;  banish  (lix.  14) ;  pass  over  (Lu.  xi.  42)  ;  and  afflict  the  just 
(Job  xii.  4;  Am.  v.   12). 

III.— Illustrations.— Examples :  Moses  (Nu.  xvi.  15) ;  Samuel 
(1  S.  xii.  4);  Darnel  (2  S.  viii.  15);  Solomon  (I  K.  iii.  16-27);  Josiah 
(Jer.  xxii.  15)  ;  Joseph  (Lu.  xxiii.  50,  51);  apostles  (1  Thes.  ii.  10). 
"  Aristides  being  judge  between  two  private  persons,  one  of  them  declared 
that  his  adversary  had  greatly  injured  Aristides.  '  Relate,  rather,  good 
friend,'  said  he,  '  what  wrong  he  hath  done  thee,  for  it  is  thy  cause,  not 
mine,  that  I  now  sit  judge  of.'  "  "  Being  desired  by  Simonides,  a  poet, 
who  had  a  cause  to  try  before  him,  to  stretch  a  point  in  his  favour,  he  re- 
plied, '  As  you  would  not  be  a  good  poet  if  your  lines  ran  contrary  to  the 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACUER8.  211 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Justice. 

just  measures  and  rules  of  your  art,  so  neither  should  I  he  a  pood  judge  or 
an  honest  man,  if  I  decided  aught  in  opposition  to  law  and  justice.'  .  . 
.  .  Nouschirvan,  the  Persian  king,  having  heen  hunting,  and  desirous  of 
eating  some  of  the  venison  of  the  field,  several  of  his  attendants  went  to 
a  neighbouring  village  and  took  away  a  quantity  of  salt  to  season  it.  The 
king,  suspecting  how  they  had  acted,  ordered  that  they  should  immediately 
go  and  pay  iur  it  ;  then,  turning  to  his  attendants,  he  said,  'This  is  a 
small  matter  in  itself,  but  a  great  one  as  it  regards  me  :for  a  king  ought 
ever  to  he  just,  because  he  is  an  example  to  his  subjects  ;  and  if  he  swerves 
in  trifles,  they  will  become  dissolute.  If  I  cannot  make  all  my  people 
just  in  the  smallest  things,  I"can,  at  least,  show  them  it  is  possible  to  be 
so.'  "  {Stretch.)  "A  poor  man  claimed  a  house  which  a  rich  man  had 
seized.  The  former  produced  his  deeds  and  instruments  to  prove  his  right, 
but  the  latter  had  provided  a  number  of  witnesses :  and  to  support  their 
evidence  more  effectually,  he  presented  the  cadi  with  a  bag  containing  500 
ducats,  which  the  cadi  received.  When  it  came  to  a  hearing,  the  poor 
man  told  his  story,  produced  his  writings,  but  wanted  witnesses,  that  most 
essential  and  only  valid  proof  of  the  merits  of  his  cause.  The  other,  pro- 
vided with  witnesses,  laid  his  whole  stress  on  them  and  on  his  adversary's 
defective  law,  who  could  produce  none ;  he  therefore  urged  the  cadi  to 
give  sentence  in  his  favour.  After  the  most  pressing  solicitations,  the 
judge  calmly  drew  from  beneath  his  sofa  the  bag  of  50U  ducats,  which  the 
rich  man  had  given  him  as  a  bribe,  saying  to  him  very  gravely,  '  You  have 
been  much  mistaken  in  the  suit ;  for  if  the  poor  man  could  produce  no 
witnesses  in  confirmation  of  his  right,  I  myself  can  furnish  him  with  at 
least  500.'  He  threw  him  the  bag  with  reproach  and  indignation,  and 
decreed  the  house  to  the  poor  plaintiflV  (Sir  Geo.  Larpent.) 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. 

"  Are  men  not  just  because  they  do  no  wrong  ? 
But  he  who  will  not  wrong  me  when  he  may, 
He  is  the  truly  just"  (Cumberland.) 

"  It  often  falls,  in  course  of  common  life, 

That  right  sometimes  is  overborne  of  wrong  ; 
The  avarice  of  power,  or  guile,  or  strife, 

That  weakens  her,  and  makes  her  party  strong. 
But  Justice,  though  her  doom  she  do  prolong, 
Yet  at  the  last  will  make  her  own  cause  right."     (Spenser.) 
Justice  should  be  blended  with  mercy. 

"  The  rulers  of  the  world, 
Unmercifully  just,  who  punish  all 
To  the  severest  rigour  of  the  laws, 
Are  most  unjust  themselves,  and  violate 
The  laws  they  seem  to  guard  :  there  is  a  justice 
Due  to  humanity."  (Ch.  Johnson.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — "  Be  true  and  just  in  all  your  dealings." 
Be  not  too  exacting  of  others,  yet  ever  seek  to  be  exact  yourself.  As  a 
servant,  give  full  work  for  your  wage  ;  try  to  do  a  little  more,  rather  than 
a  little  less,  than  is  right.  Admire  the  justice  of  God,  and  rejoice  that 
while  He  is  strictly  just,  He  can  accept  you  through  Jesus  Christ. 


212  TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Slander.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  eto. — "  Slander  is  the  revenge  of  a  coward,  and 
dissimulation  his  defence."  "  Slanderers  are  like  flies,  that  leap  over 
all  a  man's  good  parts,  to  light  only  upon  his  sores."  "  Against  s. 
there  is  no  defence.  He'l  cannot  boast  so  foul  a  fiend,  nor  man 
deplore  so  foul  a  foe.  It  stabs  with  a  smile.  It  is  a  pestilence 
walking  in  darkness,  spreading  contagion  far  and  wide,  wh.  the 
most  wary  traveller  cannot  avoid.  It  is  the  heart-searching  dagger 
of  the  assassin.  It  is  the  poisoned  arrow  whose  wound  is  incurable. 
It  is  as  fatal  as  the  sting  of  the  most  deadly  asp;  murder  is  its 
employment,  innocence  its  prey,  and  ruin  its  sport. 

II.  Bible  References  to  blander.— An  abomination  (Pr.  vi. 
16,  19)  ;  forbidden  (Ex.  xxiii.  1  ;  Jas.  iv.  11).  Includes  whispering 
(Ro.  i.  29  ;  2  Cor.  xii.  20)  ;  backbiting  (Ro.  i.  30  ;  2  Cor.  xii.  20) ; 
evil  surmising  (1  Tim.  vi.  4) ;  tale-bearing  (Lev.  xix.  16) ;  babbling 
(Ec.  x.  11).;  tattling  (1  Tim.  v.  13);  evil  speaking  (Ps.  xii.  5, 
cix.  20) ;  defaming  (Jer.  xx.  10 ;  1  Cor.  iv.  13) ;  bearing  false  wit- 
ness (Ex.  xx.  16  ;  Deu.  v.  20  ;  Lu.  iii.  14)  ;  judging  uncharitably 
(Jas.  iv.  11,  12);  raising  false  reports  (Ex.  xxiii.  1);  repeating 
matters  (Pr.  xvii.  9).  A  deceitful  work  (Ps.  Hi.  2).  Comes  fr.  evil 
heart  (Lu.  vi.  45).  Arises  from  hatred  (Ps.  xii.  7  ;  Ps.  cix.  3).  Idle- 
ness leads  to  (1  Tim.  v.  13).  Wicked  addicted  to  (Ps.  1.  20  ;  Jer.  vi. 
28,  ix.  4,  and  Ps.  Iii.  4).  Hypocrites  (Pr.  xi.  9).  Characteristic  of  the 
devil  (Rev.  xii.  10).  Are  fools  (Pr.  x.  18).  Not  to  be  trusted  (Jer. 
ix.  4).  Women  warned  (Tit.  ii.  3) ;  ministers'  wives  (1  Tim.  iii.  11). 
Christ  exposed  to  (Ps.  xxxv.  11;  Mat.  xxvi.  60);  rulers  (2  Pet.  ii. 
10  ;  Jude  8) ;  and  ministers  (Ro.  iii.  8  ;  2  Cor.  vi.  8)  ;  and  the 
nearest  relations  (Ps.  1.  20)  ;  and  saints  (Ps.  xxxviii.  12,  cix.  2  ; 
1  Pet.  iv.  4).  Saints  keep  their  tongue  from  (Ps.  xxxiv,  13,  cf. 
1  Pet.  iii.  10);  lay  aside  (Eph.  iv.  31  ;  1  Pet.  ii.  1);  be  warned 
against  (Tit.  iii.  1,  2)  ;  give  no  occasion  for  (1  Pet.  ii.  12,  iii.  16)  ; 
returned  good  for  (1  Cor.  iv.  13)  ;  blessed  in  enduring  (Mat.  v.  11) ; 
avoid  (Ps.  xv.  1,  3).  Should  not  be  listened  to  (1  S.  xxiv.  9)  ;  dis- 
countenanced (Pro.  xxv.  23).  Effects  of:  Separating  friends  (Pr. 
xvi-  28,  xvii.  9)  ;  deadly  wounds  (Pr.  xviii.  8,  xxvi.  22) ;  strife  (Pr. 
xxvi.  20) ;  discord  (Pr  vi.  19)  ;  murder  (Ps.  xxxi.  13  ;  Ez.  xxii.  9). 
The  tongue  of,  a  scourge  (Job  v.  21) ;  venemous  (Ps.  cxl.  3  ;  Ec  x. 
11) ;  destructive  (Pr.  xi.  9).  End  of  (Ec.  x.  13)  ;  give  account  (Mat. 
xii   36).     Punishment  for  (Deu.  xix.  16-21  ;  Ps.  ci.  5). 

III.  Illustrations. — (Pr.  xii.  18,  xxv.  18).  Examples  : — Laban's 
sons  (Ge.  xxxi.  1);  Doeg  (1  S.  xxii.  9-11);  princes  of  Ammon  (2  S. 
x.  3) ;  Ziba  (2  S.  xvi.  3) ;  children  of  Belial  (1  K.  xxi.  13) ;  enemies  of 
the  Jews  (Ezr.  iv.  7-16)  ;  Gashmu  (Neh.  vi.  6)  ;  Haman  (Est.  iii.  8) ; 
David's  enemies  (Ps.  xxxi.  13) ;  Jeremiah's  enemies  (Jer.  xxxviii.  4) ; 
Chaldeans  (Dan.  iii.  8)  ;  Daniel's  accusers  (Dan.  vi.  13) ;  Jews  (Mat.  xi. 
18,  19);  witnesses  against  Christ  (Mat.  xxvi.  59-61) ;  priests  (Mk.  xv.  3); 
enemies  of  Stephen  (Ac.  vi.  11)  ;  enemies  of  Paul,  etc.  (Ac,  xvii.  7); 
Tertullus  (xxiv.  2,  5). 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  213 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Slander. 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  The  worthiest 
people  are  the  most  injured  by  s.,  as  we  usually  iind  that  to  he  the  best 
fruit  wh.  the  birds  have  been  pecking  at."     {Swift.) 

"  Malicious  slander  never  would  have  leisure 
To  search,  with  prying  eyes,  for  faults  abroad 
If  all,  like  me.  consider' d  their  own  hearts, 
And  wept  the  sorrows  which  they  hnd  at  home."    (Rowe.) 

"  The  world  with  calumny  abounds, 
The  whitest  virtue  slander  wounds  ; 
There  are  whose  joy  is,  night  and  day, 
To  talk  a  character  away. 
Eager  from  rout  to  rout  they  haste, 
To  blast  the  generous  and  the  chaste, 
And,  hunting  reputation  down, 
Proclaim  their  triumphs  through  the  town."     (Tope.) 

"  Slander,  the  foulest  whelp  of  sin.     The  man 
In  whom  this  spirit  entered  was  undone ; 
His  tongue  was  set  on  fire  of  hell ;  his  heart 
Was  black  as  death  ;  his  legs  were  faint  with  haste 
To  propagate  the  lie  his  soul  had  framed  ; 
His  pillow  was  the  peace  of  families 
Destroyed,  the  sigh  of  innocence  reproached, 
Broken  friendships,  and  the  strife  of  brotherhoods. 
Fools  only  in  his  company  were  seen, 
And  those  forsaken  of  God,  and  to  themselves 
Given  up.     The  prudent  shunned  him  and  his  house 
As  one  who  had  a  deadly,  mortal  plague."     (Pollok.) 
"  The  tongue  of  the  slanderer  is  a  devouring  fire,  which  tarnishes  whatever 
it  touches  ;  which  exercises  its  fury  on  the  good   grain,  equally  as  on  the 
chaff;  on  the  profane  as  on  the  sacred  ;   which,  wherever  it  passes,  leaves 
onlv  desolation  and  ruin  ;  digs  even  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  fixes 
itself  on  things  the  most  hidden ;  turns  into  vile  ashes  what  only  a  moment 
before  had  appeared  to  us  so  precious  and  brilliant ;  acts  with  more  vio- 
lence and  danger  than  ever  in  the  time  when  it  was  apparently  smothered 
up  and  almost  extinct ;  which  blackens  what  it  cannot  consume,  and  some- 
times sparkles  and  delights  before  it  destroys."      (Massillon.)     In  the  drop 
of  venom  which  distils  from  the  sting  of  the  smallest  insect,  or  the  spikes 
of  the  nettle-leaf,  there  is  concentrated  the  quintessence  of  a  poison  so 
subtle  that  the  microscope  cannot  distinguish  it,  and  yet  so  virulent  that  it 
can  inflame  the  blood,  irritate  the  whole  constitution,  and  convert  the 
whole  day  and  night  into  restless  misery :  so  it  is  sometimes  with  the 
word  of  the  slanderers."     (F.  W.  Robertson.) 

V.  Practical  Hints.— If  you  cannot  to  a  man's  advantage  speak 
the  truth,  be  silent.  "  When  the  Senate  informed  Augustus  of  what  some 
had  said  of  him,  'Tush,'  said  he,  'we  are  not  at  leisure  to  listen  to 
every  slander  that's  raised  of  us.'  A  Christian  should  be  (as  is  said  of 
Severua  the  Emperor)  careful  of  what  is  to  be  done  by  him,  but  careless  of 
what  is  said  of  him.'  "     [Venning.) 


214  TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS., 

Conscientiousness.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc.— "There  is  a  principle  of  reflection  in  men 
by  wh.  they  dis.  betw.,  approve  and  disapprove  of,  their  own  actions. 
We  are  plainly  constituted  such  sort  of  creatures  as  to  reflect  upon 
our  own  natures.  The  mind  can  take  a  view  of  what  passes  within 
itself,  its  propensions,  aversions,  passions,  affections,  as  respecting 
such  objects  and  in  such  degrees;  and  of  several  actions  consequent 
thereupon.  In  this  survey  it  approves  of  one  and  disapproves  of  an 
other,  and  towards  another  it  is  affected  in  neither  of  these  ways, 
but  is  quite  indifferent.  This  principle  in  man,  by  wh.  he  approves 
or  disapproves  his  heart,  temper,  and  actions ;  it  is  called  conscience  ; 
and  this  is  the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  though  sometimes  it  is  used 
to  take  in  more."  (Bp.  Butler.)  "Conscience  is  the  centre  of  the  soul, 
to  wh.  all  moral  good  and  evil  has  a  tendency;  it  is  an  internal  super- 
visor and  guardian  wh.  a  man  always  carries  in  his  bosom."  (Bates.) 
"C.  is  a  Latin  word  (though  with  an  English  termination),  and 
according  to  the  very  notation  of  it  imports  a  double  or  joint  know- 
ledge: to  wit,  one  of  a  divine  law  or  rule,  and  the  other  of  a  man's 
own  action;  and  so  is  properly  the  application  of  a  general  law  to  a 
particular  instance  of  practice."  (South.)  "  c.  is  a  clock,  wh.  in  one 
man  strikes  aloud  and  gives  warning;  in  another  the  hand  points 
silently  to  the  figure,  but  strikes  not;  meantime,  hours  pass  away, 
and  death  hastens,  and  aft.  death  comes  judgment."  (Jer.  Taylor.) 
"  God's  whisper."  "  A  bosom  friend."  "  The  rewarder  of  virtue 
and  avenger  of  crime."  "The  mind's  finger-post."  "  A  dog  that 
won't  be  muzzled."  "  The  bailiff  in  possession  of  our  civil  actions." 
"  The  still,  small  voice  that  always  whispers  duty."  "  The  police  of 
the  mind."  "  The  check-string  of  the  passions."  "A  bee  that  never 
stings  the  wrong  person."  "  Mercy  rapping  at  the  door  of  sin." 
"  A  friend  too  often  left  repining  on  the  couch  of  indifference." 
"  The  book  wherein,  when  death  is  near,  we  see  all  our  sins  written 
in  characters  of  fire."  "The  touchstone  of  the  human  soul,  that 
unerringly  distinguishes  vice  from  virtue."  "  A  cable  which,  unless 
broken  by  overstraining,  keeps  the  vessel  secure  in  port."  "  A  mirror 
which  God  has  placed  within  us,  in  which  our  thoughts  and  actions 
are  clearly  reflected."  A  glass,  reflecting  with  so  much  truth  as  to 
startle  its  beholder."  "The  priestess  Truth  in  the  temple  of  the 
soul."  (Fam.  Friend.)  "  God's  vicegerent  in  the  soul."  (Buchan.) 
"The  pulse  of  reason."  (Coleridge.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Conscience.— Witnesses  (Pr.  xx.  27;  Ro.  ii. 
15);  accuses  (Ge.  xlii.  21;  1  S.  xxiv.  5;  Mat.  xxvii.  3;  Lu.  ix.  7); 
the  approval  of  (Job  xxvii.  6;  Ac.  xxiv.  16;  Ro.  ix.  1,  xiv.  22) ;  the 
blood  of  Christ  can  purify  (Heb.  ix.  14,  x.  2-10,  22);  keep  the  faith 
in  purity  of  (1  Tim.  i.  19,  iii.  9);  of  saints  (Heb.  xiii.  18;  1  Pet.  iii. 
16,  21);  submit  to  authority  for  (Ro.  xiii.  5);  suffer  for  (1  Pet.  ii.  19); 
testimony  of  (2  Cor.  i.   12;  1  Jo.  iii.  21);  of  others  (Ro.  xiv.  21; 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  215 

El«iics  ]  TRUE  RELIGION.  ^Conscientiousness. 

1  Cor.  x.  28-32);  ministers  should  commend  themselves  to  that  of 
their  people  (2  Cor.  iv.  2,  v.  11);  of  the  wicked  (1  Tim.  iv.  2;  Tit.  i. 
15);  a  false  guide  unlesss  spiritually  enlightened  (Ac.  xxiii.  l,xxvi.9). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—" Hethat  will  not 

hearken  to  the  warnings  of  c.  must  fuel  the  woundings  of  C." 
"  Severe  decrees  may  keep  our  tongues  in  awe, 
But  to  our  thoughts  what  edict  can  give  law? 
Even  you  yourself  to  your  own  breast  shall  tell 
Your  crimes,  and  your  own  conscience  be  your  hell."      {Dry  den.) 
"  He  who  takes  c.  for  his  guide  will  not  easily  lose  his  way."     "  A  good  c. 
is  to  the  soul  what  health  is  to  the  body ;  it  preserves  a  constant  ease  and 
serenity  within  us,  and  more  than  countervails  all  the  calamities  and  afflic- 
tions wh.  can  possibly  befall  us."   {Addison.)      "Many  a  lash  in  the  dark 
doth  c.  give  the  wicked."     "A  man  who  sells  his  c.  for  his  interest,  will 
sell  it  for  his  pleasure."    {Edgeworth.)     ''On  the  everlasting  tables  of  c. 
and  memory  is  engraven  whatever  we  have  done,  or  wished,  or  attempted, 
or  neglected  to  do." 

"Conscience,  what  art  thou?  thou  tremendous  power! 

Who  dost  inhabit  us  without  our  leave, 

And  art  within  ourselves,  another  self — 

A  master  self,  that  loves  to  domineer, 

And  treat  the  monarch  frankly  as  the  slave. 

How  dost  thou  light  a  torch  to  distant  deed, 

Make  the  past  present,  and  the  future  frown!  "  {Young.) 
Conscientious  comes  from  conscience,  and  marks  the  quality  of  having  a  nice 
conscience.  Scrupulous,  from  scruple,  signifying  the  quality  of  having  a 
scruple.  Scnqjle — in  Latin,  scrupulus — a  little  hard  stone,  which  in  walking 
gives  pain.  Conscientious  is  to  scrupulous  as  the  whole  to  a  part.  A  con- 
st icut  ions  man  is  so  altogether  ;  a  scrupulous  man  may  have  only  particular 
scruples  ;  the  one  is,  therefore,  always  taken  in  a  good  sense,  and  the  other 
at  least  in  an  indifferent,  if  not  a  bad  sense.  A  conscientious  man  does 
nothing  to  offend  his  conscience,  but  a  scrupulous  man  has  often  his  scruples 
on  trifling  or  minor  points :  the  Pharisees  were  scrupulous  without  being 
conscientious  ;  we  must,  therefore,  strive  to  be  conscientious  without  being 
over-scrupulous."  {Crabb.)  "  George  III.  was  requested  by  Mr.  Pitt  to 
make  Paley  a  bishop.  The  king  refused ;  and  taking  down  the  '  Moral 
Philosophy  '  from  a  shelf,  he  showed  Pitt  the  passage  on  which  he  justifies 
subscription  to  articles  not  fully  credited.  'This,"  said  the  king,  'is  my 
reason  for  not  making  him  a  bishop.' " 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Seek  a  tender  conscience.  2.  Habit, 
long  indulged  in,  will  render  c.  insensible;  as  the  blacksmith,  by  prac- 
tice, will  handle  hot  iron  without  injury.  3.  Seek  an  enlightened  c,  and 
walk  by  its  rule.  4.  Bring  c.  to  bear  in  small  matters,  that  it  may  not 
fail  in  great  affairs.  5.  Put  c  into  speech  as  well  as  action.  6.  Thank 
God  for  this  constant  friend  and  remembrancer.  7.  An  ordinary  c.  not  a 
safe  guide.  8.  Watch  against  the  c.  becoming  seared  and  unfeeling.  9. 
"A  good  c.  is  better  than  two  witnesses;  it  will  consume  your  grief  as  the 
sun  dissolves  ice.  It  is  a  spring  when  you  are  thirsty,  a  staff  when  you 
are  weary,  a  screen  when  the  sun  burns  you,  a  pillow  in  death."  {Zhenag.) 


216 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACIIERS. 


Humility] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Definitions,  etc.— "Greatness  in  simplicity."  "The  result  of  a 
deep  acquaintance  with  our  own  hearts."  "  The  publican's  prayer." 
"  Man  in  his  loftiest  attitude,  because  leaning  most  on  the  help   of 

heaven."  "  The 
keystone  of  Chris- 
tianity's arch." 
"  A  beautiful  cen- 
tre fr.  wh.  every 
other  virtue  radi- 
ates." "  The  dress- 
coat  of  pride." 
"  The  low,  but 
broad  and  deep 
foundation  of  every 
virtue."  "  The 
best  evidence  of 
real  religion,  as 
arrogance,self-con- 
ceit,  and  preten- 
sion, are  the  infallible  criteria  of  a  pharisaical  devotion."  "  It  is  the 
first  lesson  we  learn  fr.  reflection,  and  self-distrust  the  first  proof  we 
give  of  having  obtained  a  knowledge  of  ourselves. "  {Zimmerman.') 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Humility.— Necessary  (Mic.  vi.  8) ;  Christ 
an  example  (Mat.  xi.  29  ;  Jo.  xiii.  14,  15 ;  Phil.  ii.  5-8) ;  saints  (Ps. 
xxxiv.  2).  They  who  have,  regarded  by  God  (Ps.  cxxxviii.  6;  Is. 
lxvi.  2);  and  heard  (Ps.  ix.  12,  x.  17);  enjoy  the  presence  of  God 
(Is.  lvii.  15);  are  delivered  (Job  xxii.  29);  and  lifted  up  (Lu  xiv. 
11,  xviii.  14;  Jas.  iv.  10);  greatest  in  Christ's  kingdom  (Mat.  xviii. 
4) ;  receive  more  grace  (Pr.  iii.  34  ;  Jas.  iv.  6);  upheld  (Pr.  xviii.  12, 
xxix.  23);  before  honour  (xv.  33);  leads  to  riches,  etc.  (xxii. 
4).  Saints  should  put  on  (Col.  iii.  12);  be  clothed  with  (1  Pet.  v.  5); 
walk  with  (Eph.  iv.  1,  2) ;  beware  of  false  (Col.  ii.  18,  23) ;  afflictions 
produce  (Lev.  xxvi.  41 ;  Deu.  viii.  3;  Lam.  iii.  20);  want  of  (2  Ch. 
xxxiii.  23,  xxxvi.  12;  Jer.  xliv.  10;  Dan.  v.  22);  temporal  judg- 
ments averted  by  (2  Ch.  vii.  14,  xii.  6,  7) ;  excellency  of  (Pr.  xvi. 
19;  Mat.  v.  3). 

III.  Illustrations. — Examples:  Abraham  (Ge.  xviii.  27);  Jacob 
(xxxii.  10);  Moses  (Ex.  iii.  11,  iv.  10);  Joshua  (Jos.  vii.  6);  Gideon 
(Jud.  vi.  15) ;  David  (1  Ch.  xxix.  14) ;  Hezekiah  (2  Ch.  xxxii.  26)  ;  Ma- 
nasseh  (xxxiii.  12) ;  Josiah  (xxxiv.  27) ;  Job  (Job  xl.  4,  xlii.  6) ;  Isaiah  (Is. 
vi.  5) ;  Jeremiah  (Jer.  i.  6) ;  John  the  Baptist  (Mat.  iii.  14)  ;  centurion 
(viii.  8) ;  woman  of  Canaan  (xv.  27) ;  Elizabeth  (Lu.  i.  43) ;  Peter  (v.  8) ; 
Paul  (Ac.  xx.  19). 

A  celebrated  philanthropist  having  bidden  a  lady  draw  on  him  for  any 
amount,  on  behalf  of  an  orphan  child,  she  said,  "As  soon  as  the  child  is 
old  enough  I  will  teach  him  to  thank  you."     "  Stop,"  said  the  good  man, 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  217 

Ethics.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Humility. 

"  you  arc  mistaken ;  we  do  not  thank  the  clouds  for  rain.  Teach  the  child 
to  look  higher,  and  to  thank  Him  who  gives  both  the  clouds  and  the  rain." 
St.  Augustine,  being  asked,  What  is  the  first  thing  in  religion  ?  replied, 
Humility;  And  what  is  the  second?  Humility;  And  what  is  the 
third?  'Humility.  Soon  after  Paul  was  converted  he  declared  himself 
"unworthy  to  be  called  an  apostle."  As  time  rolled  on,  and  he  grew  in 
grace,  he  cried  out,  "1  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints."  And  just 
before  his  martyrdom,  when  he  had  reached  the  stature  of  a  perfect  man 
in  Christ,  his  exclamation  was,  "I  am  the  chief  of  sinners."  St.  Augus- 
tine used  to  say,  "The  sufficiency  of  my  merit  is  to  know  that  my  merit  is 
insufficient."  "Consciousness  is  confined  to  the  actions  of  the  mind,  being 
nothing  else  but  that  knowledge  of  itself  which  is  inseparable  from  every 
thought  and  voluntary  motion  of  the  soul.  Conscience  extends  to  all 
human  actions,  bodily  as  well  as  mental.  Consciousness  is  the  knowledge 
of  the  existence ;  conscience  of  the  moral  nature  of  actions.  Consciousness 
is  a  province  of  metaphysics  ;  conscience  of  morality."  {Buck.)  "  A  man 
of  integrity  will  never  listen  to  any  reason  against  conscience."  (Art  of 
Thinking.)  "A  guilty  conscience  is  Like  a  whirlpool,  drawing  in  all  to 
itself  which  could  otherwise  pass  by."  (Fuller.) 
IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  Search  others  for 

their  virtues,  and  thyself  for  thy  vices."  (T.  Fuller.)  "h.  is  the  truest 
abstinence  in  the  world.  It  is  abstinence  fr.  self-love  and  self-conceit, 
the  hardest  and  severest  abstinence.  It  is  abstinence  fr.  vaunting  our  own 
praise  and  exploits,  and  lessening  the  merits  of  other  men.  It  is  absti- 
nence fr.  ambition  and  avarice — the  strongest  propensities  in  our  nature ; 
and,  consequently,  it  is  the  severest  mortification  and  the  noblest  self- 
denial."   (Uelany.) 

"  The  saint  that  wears  heaven's  brightest  crown 
In  deepest  adoration  bends ; 
The  weight  of  glory  bows  him  down 
The  most  when  most  his  soul  ascends; 
Nearest  the  throne  itself  must  be 
The  footstool  of  humility."   (Montgomery.) 
IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  Jesus  a  pattern  of  h.     2.  God  dwells  with 
the  humble. 

His  chosen  dwelling  is  below; 


Within  the  contrite  sinner's  breast, 
'Mid  tears  and  sighs,  He  loves  to 

rest; 
And  they  who  tremble  at  His  word, 
In  praise  and  supplication  shall  be 

heard." 


"  Thou  high  and  lofty  One,  afar 

Beyond  creation's  farthest  star, 

Inhabiting  eternity — the  high 

And  holy  palace  of  the  sky ; 

Oh !  am  I  not  too  low  for  Thee 

To  stoop  to  visit,  and  to  dwell 
with  me  ? 

A  still,  small  whisper  answers,  No, 

"Humility  leads  to  the  highest  distinction,  because  it  leads  to  self- 
improvement.  Study  your  own  characters  ;  endeavour  to  learn  to  supply 
your  own  deficiencies  ;  never  assume  to  yourselves  qualities  which  you  do 
not  possess ;  combine  all  this  with  energy  and  activity,  and  you  cannot 
predicate  of  yourselves,  nor  can  others  predicate  of  you,  at  what  point  you 
may  arrive  at  last."     (Sir  B.  Brodie.) 


218  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

God— Existence.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Proofs. — 1.  Universal  consciousness. — How  has  it  come  to 
pass  that  in  all  nations,  at  all  times,  there  has  been  a  universal  belief 
in  the  existence  of  a  God?  "  The  notion  of  a  God,"  says  Archbp. 
Tillotson,  "  is  so  inseparable  fr.  human  nature,  that  to  obliterate  the 
one  you  must  destroy  the  other."  And  Coleridge  observes,  "  In 
legitimacy  of  conclusion,  strong  and  unexceptionable  is  the  argument 
fr.  universality  of  belief."  (See  ako  Charnock,  vol.  i.  1.)  2.  Argu- 
ment fr.  design.  A  watch  bears  the  marks  of  contrivance,  being 
made  for  a  purpose  ;  it  therefore  did  not  come  by  chance,  but  origi- 
nated with  an  intelligent  contriver.  So  nature  bears  the  marks  of  an 
intelligent  mind  contriving,  etc.  {this  argument  is  adopted  and  elabo- 
rated in  Palexfs  Nat.  Theo.)  3.  Harmony,  extent,  and  unity  of 
crkation.  A  number  of  his  officers  having  one  evening  denied  the 
existence  of  God,  Bonaparte  said,  "  Gentlemen,  your  arguments  are 
very  fine ;  but  who  made  all  those  worlds  beaming  so  gloriously 
above  us  ?  can  you  tell  me  that  ?  "  An  Arab,  when  one  day  the 
question  was  put,  "  How  do  you  know  there  is  a  God  ?  "  turned*  with 
apparent  indignation  upon  the  questioner,  and  replied,  "  How  do  I 
know  whether  a  man  or  a  camel  passed  my  tent  last  night  ?  "  His 
own  footprints  are  the  best  evidence  of  the  existence  and  character 
of  Jehovah.  4.  The  vastness  of  human  desires.  {Charnock,  i. 
36).  "  Tf  God  were  not  a  necessary  Being  of  himself,  he  might 
almost  seem  to  be  made  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  man."  {Tillotson, 
ser.  93,  1712).  5.  Necessary  existence.  The  argument,  a  priori, 
though  less  popular,  will  by  many  be  thought  more  conclusive  (see 
Gillespie  :  the  Russel  edition).  While  the  evidences  of  the  existence 
of  a  God  are  so  strong  and  various,  none  can  demonstrate  the  non- 
existence of  God.  "  The  wonder,  then,  turns  on  the  great  process  by 
which  a  man  could  grow  to  the  immense  intelligence  which  can 
know  that  there  is  no  God.  What  ages  and  what  lights  are  requisite 
for  this  attainment !  This  intelligence  involves  the  very  attributes 
of  Divinity,  while  a  God  is  denied.  For  unless  this  man  is  omni- 
present, unless  he  is  this  moment  in  every  place  in  the  universe,  he 
cannot  know  but  that  there  may  be  in  some  place  manifestations  of 
a  Deity,  by  which  even  he  would  be  overpowered.  If  he  do  not 
know  absolutely  every  agent  in  the  universe,  the  one  that  he  does 
not  know  may  be  God.  If  he  be  not  himself  the  chief  agent  in  the 
universe,  and  does  not  know  what  is  so,  that  which  is  so  may  be  God. 
If  he  be  not  in  absolute  possession  of  all  the  propositions  that  con- 
stitute universal  truth,  the  one  which  he  wants  may  be  that  there  is 
a  God.  If  he  cannot  with  certainty  assign  the  cause  of  all  that  he 
perceives  to  exist,  that  cause  may  be  God.  If  he  do  not  know  every- 
thing that  has  been  done  in  the  immeasurable  ages  that  are  past, 
some  things  may  have  been  done  by  a  God.  Thus,  unless  he  know 
all  things,  that  is,  precludes  all  other  divine  existence,  by  being 
Deity  himself,  he  cannot  know  that  the  Being  whose  existence  he 


T0PIC3    FOR    TEACHES.  219 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [God—  Existence. 

rejects  does  not  exist.  But  he  must  /enow  that  he  does  not  exist,  else 
he  deserves  equal  contempt  and  compassion  for  the  temerity  with 
which  he  firmly  avows  his  i ejection,  and  acts  accordingly."  (Foster.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  God. — Existence  and  nature :  God  is  a  Spirit 
(.T<>.  iv.  24;  2  Cor.  iii.  17).  Is  said  to  be  light  (Is.  lx.  19;  Jas.  i.  17; 
1  Jo.  i.  5)  ;  love  (iv.  8,  16);  invisible  (Job  xxiii.  8,  9;  Jo.  i.  18,  v.  37  ; 
Col.'  i.  15;  1  Tim.  i.  17);  unsearchable  (Job  xi.  7,  xxxvii.  23;  Ps. 
cxlv.  3  ;  Is.  xl.  28  ;  Iio.  xi.  33)  ;  incorruptible  (i.  23) ;  eternal  (Deu. 
xxxiii.  27;  Ps.  xc.  2;  Rev.  iv.  8-10)  ;  immortal  (1  Tim.  i.  17,  vi.  16); 
omnipotent  (Go.  xvii.  1  ;  Ex.  vi.  3)  ;  omniscient  (Ps.  exxxix.  1-6 ;  Pr. 
v.  21)  ;  omnipresent  (Ps.  exxxix.  7 ;  Jer.  xxiii.  23) ;  immutable  (Ps. 
cii.  26,  27;  Jas.  i.  17)  ;  only-wise  (Ro.  xvi.  27  ;  1  Tim.  i.  17) ;  glorious 
(Ex.  xv.  11  ;  Ps.  cxlv.  5) ;  most  high  (lxxxiii.  18  ;  Ac.  vii.  48)  ;  perfect 
(Mat.  v.  48);  holy  (Ps.  xcix.  9;  Is.  v.  16);  just  (Deu.  xxxii.  4;  Is. 
xlv.  21) ;  true  (Jer.  x.  10  ;  Jo.  xvii.  3)  ;  upright  (Ps.  xxv.  8,  xcii. 
15);  righteous  (Ezr.  ix.  15;  Ps.  cxlv.  17);  good  (xxv.  8,  cxix.  68); 
great  (2  Ch.  ii.  5 :  Ps.  lxxxvi.  10)  ;  gracious  (Ex.  xxxiv.  6 ;  Ps.  cxvi. 
5)  ;  faithful  (1  Cor  x.  13,  1  Pet.  iv.  19);  merciful  (Ex.  xxxiv.  6,  7; 
Ps.  lxxxvi.  5)  :  long-suffering  (Nu.  xiv.  18 ;  Mic.  vii.  18)  ;  jealous 
(Jos.  xxiv.  19  ;  Nah.  i.  2) ;  compassionate  (2  K.  xiii.  23) ;  a  consuming 
fire  (Heb.  xii.  29).  None  beside  Him  (Deu.  iv.  35) ;  Is.  xliv.  6)  ;  before 
Him  (xliii.  10)  ;  like  to  Him  (Ex.  ix.  14  ;  Deu.  xxxiii.  26  ;  2  S.  vii. 
22;  Is.  xlvi.  5,  9;  Jer.  x.  6).  Good  but  He  (Mat.  xix.  17).  Fills 
heaven  and  earth  (1  K.  viii.  27  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  24).  Worshipped  in  spirit 
and  in  truth  (Jo.  iv.  24). 

III.— Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions. — "  While  earthly 

objects  are  exhausted  by  familiarity,  the  thought  of  God  becomes  to  the 
devout  man  continually  brighter,  richer,  vaster,  ;  derives  fresh  lustre  fr. 
all  that  he  observes  of  nature  and  Providence,  and  attracts  to  itself  all  the 
glories  of  the  universe.  The  devout  man,  especially  in  moments  of  strong 
religious  sensibility,  feels  distinctly  that  he  has  found  the  true  happiness 
of  man.  He  has  found  a  being  for  his  veneration  and  love,  whose  cha-  . 
racter  is  inexhaustible,  who,  aft.  ages  shall  have  passed,  will  still  be  un- 
comprehended  in  the  extent  of  his  perfections,  and  will  still  communicate 
to  the  pure  mind  stronger  proofs  of  his  excellence,  and  more  intimate 
signs  of  his  approval."  (CJianning.)  '■'■Infidel  Writers  in  England. — Because 
half-a-dozen  grasshoppers  under  a  fern  make  the  field  ring  with  their  im- 
portunate chink,  while  thousands  of  great  cattle  repose  beneath  the  shade, 
chew  the  cud,  and  are  silent,  pray  do  not  imagine  that  those  who  make  the 
noise  are  the  only  inhabitants  of  the  field;  that  of  course  they  are  many  in 
number;  or  that,  after  all,  they  are  other  than  the  little  shrivelled,  meagre, 
hopping,  though  loud  and  troublesome,  insects  of  the  hour."  (Burke.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  "  Man's  chief  end  is  to  glorify  God,  and 
to  enjoy  Him  for  ever"  (1  Cor.  x.  31  ;  Ps.  lxxiii.  25).  2.  The  existence  of 
an  .atheist  does  not  disprove  the  universality  of  belief  in  existence  of 
God  :  it  but  ill.  the  truth  that  the  rule  is  proved  by  exceptions.  "  It  is  not 
enough  to  have  objects,  and  eyes  to  see,  but  you  must  have  light  too." 
(Donne) 


220  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

God— Attributes,  No.  1.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Doctrinal.- — "  By  •  an  attribute  '  we  denote  some  perfection  or 
quality  belonging  to  the  nature  of  God,  and  thus  '  an  attribute'  is  very 
different  from  a  mere  name,  which  does  not  necessarily  nor  often  ex- 
press any  such  quality,  whilst  '  an  attribute  '  always  does.  Thus  the 
titles,  'Almighty,'  'Everlasting,'  'Ever-living,'  'Merciful,'  and  so  on, 
are  all  used  to  express  qualities  or  perfections  belonging  to  the  Deity 
— the  qualities  of  unlimited  power,  unbounded  duration,  perpetual 
life,  fulness  of  mercy,  and  so  on  ;  and  these  qualities  are  called 
attributes."  The  As.  of  God  are  usually  regarded  as  natural  and 
moral.  We  now  discuss  the  Natural  As.,  as  spirituality — invisibility 
eternity — infinitude —  omnipresence — omnipotence — omniscience — im- 
mutability. 

Bible  References  to  Natural  Attributes.— [Spirituality  and 

Invisibility.]  (Ex.  xxxiii.  20;  Job  ix.  11  ;  Is.  xl.  18;  Jo.  i.  18,  iv.  24, 
v.  37,  vi.  46  ;  Eo.  i.  20 ;  Col.  i.   15  ;  1  Tim.  i.   17,  vi.  16  ;  Heb.  xi.  27  ; 

1  Jo.  iv.  12).  [Eternity.]  (Ex.  hi.  14,  15;  Deu.  xxxii.  40;  Job  xxxvi. 
26;  Ps.  ix.  7;  Is.  xxvi.  4;  Jer.  x.  10;  Lam.  v.  19;  Dan.  iv.  3-34; 
Hab.  i.  12,  hi.  6 ;  Eo.  i.  20  ;  2  Pet.  hi.  8  ;  Eev.  i.  4,  8).  [infinitude  and 
Incomprehensibility.]    (Ex.  hi.   14;  2  S.  xxii.   12;   1  K.  vhi.  12,  27; 

2  Ch.  ii.  6,  vi.  1 ;  Job  v.  9,  xi.  7-9,  xxvi.  14,  xxxvi.  26,  xxxvii.  5,  23  ;  Ps. 
xviii.  11;  Ecc.iii.  11;  Is.  xl.  12-17;  Nah.  i.  3;  Hab.  hi.  10;  Eo.  xi.  33,  34; 
Ep.  i.  23).  [Omnipresence.]  (Ge.  xvi.  13;  1  K.  vhi.  27;  Ps.  exxxix. 
1-12;  Jer.  xxiii.  23,  24;  Ac.  xvh.  27,  28).  [Omnipotence.]  (Ge.  xvii.  1  ; 
Ex.  vi.  3 ;  Deu.  hi.  24 ;  2  S.  xxii.  33  ;  1  Ch.  xvi.  27 ;  2  Ch.  xx.  6 ;  Job 
ix.  4,  12,  13,  19  ;  Ps.  xxi.  13 ;  Ecc.  vi.  10;  Is.  xl.  29 ;  Jer.  xxxii.  17-  19,  27 ; 
Ez.  xxii.  14;  Dan.  ii.  20;  Hab.  hi.  4;  Mat.  xix.  26;  Lu.  i.  37  ;  1  Cor. 
i.  25  ;  Ep.  hi.  20,  21 ;  Eev.  i.  8).  [Omniscience.]  General  (1  S.  ii.  3  ; 
Job  xh.  13,  16;  Ps.  xxxiii.  13,  14;  Pr.  xv.  3,  xxii.  12;  Is.  xl.  14,  28; 
Dan.  ii.  22  ;  Ac.  xv.  18  ;  Eo.  xi.  33  ;  Heb.  iv.  13  ;  1  Jo.  hi.  20) ;  seen  in 
foreknoivledge  and  revelation  (Ge.  xl.  8;  Ex.  iii.  19;  Deu.  xxix.  29;  Job 
xxiv.  1  ;  Ps.  exxxix.  1.  2  ;  Ec.  xii.  14  ;  Is.  xlh.  9 ;  Ez.  xxxviii.  10  ;  Dan. 
ii.  28,  29,  47  ;  Mat.  x.  26  ;  Mk.  xhi.  32 ;  Ac.  i.  7  ;  Eo.  ii.  16 ;  1  Cor.  iv.  5). 
Knowledge  of  human  thoughts  (Ge.  xx.  6  ;  Deu.  xxxi.  20,  21 ;  1  S.  xvi.  7  ; 
1  K.  vhi.  39 ;  2  Ch.  vi.  30  ;  Job  x.  4 ;  Ps.  vii.  9,  xi.  4,  xix.  14,  xxxviii. 
9,  xliv.  21,  xciv.  11,  exxxix.  23,  24  ;  Pr.  xv.  11,  xvii.  3,  xxi.  2  ;  Is.  lxvi. 
18  ;  Jer.  xvh.  10,  xx.  12 ;  Ez.  xi.  5  ;  Am.  iv.  13  :  Mat.  xi.  6).  Of  human 
character  (Ge.  vii  1  ;  Ex.  xxxii.  9  ;  Job  xi.  11 ;  Ps.  xiv.  2 ;  Pr.  xxiv.  12, 
17,  18;  Mai.  iii.  16;  2  Tim.  ii.  9).  Human  actions,  etc.  (Deu.  ii.  7; 
Neh.  ix.  9  ;  Job  xxxi.  4 ;  Ps.  exxxix.  3  ;  Pr.  v.  21  ;  Jer.  xxxii.  19  ;  Mat. 
vi.  8,  31,  32;  Eev.  hi.  15).  [immutability.]  (Nu.  xxiii.  12;  1  S.  xv.  29; 
Job  xxiii.  13;  Ps.  xxxiii.  11,  cxix.  89-91;  Is.  lix.  1;  Mic.  ii.  7;  Mai.  hi.  6; 
Jas.  i.  17). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— One  of  the  most 

anc.  representations  of  God  was  the  figure  of  an  eye  upon  a  sceptre,  to  sig. 
that  God  sees  and  rules  all.  The  Egyptian  hieroglyphic  was  a  winged 
globe  and  a  serpent  coming  out  of  it  :  the  globe  =z  God's  eternity  :  the 
wingsz=z  His  active  power;  and  the  serpent  =z  His  wisdom.  The  Thracian 
emblem  was  a  sun  with  three  beams ;  one  shining  upon  a  sea  of  ice  and 
melting  it ;  another  uporvi  rock,  and  melting  it ;  and  a  third  upon  a  dead 


TOPICS   FOR    TEACHERS.  221 


Theology.]  TRUE  religiox.  [Ooi-AttrOutu,  No.  l. 

man,  and  patting  life  into  him.  (Unices.)  "  As  the  human  mind  is  finite, 
and  conceives  by  defining  the  limits  of  its  thought,  and  as  God  is  known 
to  us  to  be  infinite,  it  is  evident  that  the  human  mind  can  never  bo  capable 
of  conceiving  tiod  adequately  as  He  is,  or  of  defining  His  being."  (Hodge.) 
"  God  is  known  to  us  by  certain  as.,  or  modes  of  being,  the  conception  of 
wh.  may  be  possible  to  us,  and  wh.  truly  represent  Him  as  far  as  they  go. 
We  conceive  of  ea.  of  these  as.  as  possessed  by  God  in  a  degree  to  wh.  we 
put  no  limits,  and  to  wh.  we  know  that  no  limits  can  be  assigned."  {Ibid.) 
"  '  How  many  gods  are  there  ? '  was  once  said  to  a  little  boy.  '  One.'  'How 
do  you  know  there  is  only  one  ? '  '  Because  there  is  no  room  for  any  more, 
for  the  one  God  fills  heaven  and  earth.'  "  (Bate's  Eney.)  "  Power'is  that 
glorious  attribute  of  God  Almighty  which  furnishes  the  rest  of  His 
perfections.  Tis  His  omnipotence  that  makes  His  wisdom  and  goodness 
effectual,  and  succeed  to  the  length  of  His  will.  Thus,  His  decrees  are 
immutable,  and  His  counsels  stand  ;  this  secures  His  prerogative,  and 
guards  the  sovereignty  of  His  being:  'twas  His  power  which  made  His  ideas 
fruitful,  and  struck  the  world  out  of  His  thoughts.  'Twas  this  that  an- 
swered the  model  of  the  creation,  gave  birth  to  time  and  nature,  and 
brought  them  forth  at  His  first  call :  thus,  He  spake  the  word,  and  they 
were  made ;  He  commanded,  and  they  were  created.  'Tis  the  divine 
power  which  is  the  basis  of  all  things  ;  which  constitutes  the  vigour  of  the 
second  causes,  and  keeps  the  sun  and  moon  in  repair.  This  holds  every 
thing  constant  to  appointment,  and  true  to  the  first  plan ;  thus,  the  revolu- 
tions of  the  seasons,  the  support  of  animals,  the  perpetuity  of  species,  is 
carried  on  and  maintained.  Without  this,  things  would  soon  run  riot, 
and  ramble  out  of  distinction  ;  the  succours  of  life  would  be  cut  off,  and 
nature  drop  into  decay.  Omniscience  and  goodness,  without  a  correspond- 
ing power,  would  be  strangely  short  of  satisfaction  ;  to  know  everything, 
without  being  able  to  supply  defects  and  remedy  disorders,  must  prove  an 
unpleasant  speculation ;  to  see  so  many  noble  schemes  languish  in  the 
mii.d  and  prove  abortive;  to  see  the  most  consummate  wisdom,  the  most 
generous  temper,  fettered  and  disarmed,  must  be  a  grievance :  but  when 
omnipotence  comes  into  the  notion,  the  grandeur  is  perfect  and  the 
pleasure  entire."   (Jeremy  Collier.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  "God  is  here,  let  us  adore,"  etc  2.  God 
sees  us  and  knows  us  altogether.  "  Thou  God  seest  me."  3.  God  is  here 
to  save,  comfort,  bless.  4.  He  is  unchangeably  good,  etc.  5.  Do  we  love 
God  ?  If  so,  do  we  strive  to  be  like  Him,  and  serve  Him  ?  "A  heathen 
philosopher  once  asked  a  Christian,  '  Where  is  God  ? '  The  Christian 
answered,  '  Let  me  first  ask  you,  where  is  He  not  ? '  "  (Arrows mith.) 
"  There  is  an  Eye  that  never  sleeps  There  is  an  Arm  that  never  tires 

Beneath  the  wing  of  night ;  When  human  strength  gives  way  ; 

There  is  an  Ear  that  never  shuts  There  is  a  Love  that  never  tails 
When  sink  the  beams  of  night.       When  earthly  loves  decay. 
That  Eye  is  fix'd  on  seraph  throngs, 
That  Ear  is  fill'd  with  angels'  songs, 
That  Arm  upholds  the  worlds  on  high, 
That  Love  is  throned  beyond  the  sky. 

Vol.  II.— 15 


222  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

God-Attributes,  No.  2  ]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Doctrinal. — MORAL  AS.  [Compassion.]  "  The  infinite  great- 
ness of  His  mercy  and  love,  whereby  He  relieves  the  miseries  of  His 
people.  This  perfection  of  Jehovah  is  conspicuously  displayed  in  the 
gift  of  His  Son,  the  revelations  of  His  will,  the  bounties  of  His  pro- 
vidence, the  exercise  of  His  patience,  the  promise  of  His  mercy,  the 
manifestation  of  His  presence,  and  the  provision  of  everlasting  life." 
(Buck.)  [Goodness.]  "  The  goodness  of  the  essence  of  God  is  that 
ace.  to  wh.  it  is  essentially  in  itself  the  Supreme  and  very  good ;  fr. 
a  participation  in  wh.  all  other  things  have  an  existence  and  are 
good,  and  to  wh.  all  other  things  are  to  be  referred  as  to  their 
supreme  end  :  for  this  reason  it  is  called  communicable  (Mat.  xix.  17; 
Jas.  i.  17;  1  Cor.  x.  31)."  (Arminius.)  [Love]  It  is  the  nature  of 
every  artificer  to  tender  and  esteem  his  own  work ;  and  if  God  should 
not  love  His  creatures,  it  would  reflect  some  disparagement  upon  His 
workmanship,  that  He  should  make  anything  that  He  could  not  own. 
God's  power  never  produces  anything  that  His  goodness  cannot 
embrace.  God  oftentimes,  in  the  same  man,  distinguishes  betw.  the 
sinner  and  the  creature  ;  as  a  creature  He  can  love  him,  while  as  a 
sinner  He  doth  afflict  him."  (South.)  [Holiness]  "The  holiness 
of  God  is  not  to  be  conceived  of  as  one  A.  among  others,  but  it  is 
rather  a  general  term,  representing  the  conception  of  His  consummate 
perfection  and  total  glory.  It  is  His  infinite  moral  perfection 
crowning  His  infinite  intelligence  and  power.  There  is  a  glory  of 
ea.  A.  viewed  abstractedly,  and  a  glory  of  the  whole  together.  The 
intellectual  nature  is  the  essential  basis  of  the  moral :  infinite  moral 
perfection  is  the  crown  of  the  Godhead.  Holiness  is  the  total  glory 
thus  crowned."  (Hodge). 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Moral  As. — [Goodness.]  Part  of  character 
(Ps.  xxv.  8 ;  Nah.  i.  7  ;  Mat.  xix.  17).  Is  great  (Neh.  ix.  35  ;  Zee.  ix.  17) ; 
rich  (Ps.  civ.  2-1  ;  Ho.  ii.  4) ;  abundant  (Ex.  xxxiv.  6  ;  Ps.  xxxiii.  5);  satis- 
fying (Ps.  lxv.  4;  Jer.  xxxi.  12,  14);  enduring  (Ps.  xxiii.  6,  lii.  1); 
universal  (Ps.  cxlv.  9  ;  Mat.  v.  45).  [Justice.]  'Part  of  character  (Devi, 
xxxii.  4;  Is.  xlv.  21).  Is  plenteous  (Job  xxxvii.  23)  ;  incomparable  (Job 
iv.  17) ;  incorruptible  (Deu.  x.  17;  2  Ch.  xix.  7) ;  impartial  (2  Ch.  xix.  7; 
Jer.  xxxii.  19) ;  unfailing  (Zep.  iii.  5);  undeviating  (Job  viii.  3,  xxxiv.  12) ; 
without  respect  of  persons  (Eo.  ii.  11;  Col.  iii.  25;  1  Pet.  i.  17);  the 
habitation  of  His  throne  (Ps.  lxxxix.  14).  Not  to  be  sinned  against  (Jer. 
1.  7).  Denied  by  the  ungodly  (Ez.  xxxiii.  17,  20).  [Truth.]  Is  one  of 
His  attributes  (Deu.  xxxii.  4  ;  Is.  lxv.  16) ;  always  goes  before  His  face 
(Ps.  lxxxix.  14) ;  He  keeps  for  ever  (Ps.  cxlvi.  6).  Described  as  great  (Ps. 
lvii.  10)  ;  plenteous  (Ps.  lxxxvi.  16)  ;  abundant  (Ex.  xxxiv.  6);  inviolable 
(Nu.  xxiii.  19;  Tit.  i.  2);  reaching  to  the  clouds  (Ps.  lvii.  10);  enduring 
to  all  generations  (Ps.  c.  5).  United  with  mercy  in  redemption  (Ps.  Ixxxv. 
10).  [Mercy-]  Is  part  of  His  character  (Ex.  xxxiv.  6,  7;  Ps.  lxii.  12; 
Jon.  iv.  2;  2  Cor.  i.  3).  Described  as  great  (Nu.  xiv  18;  Is.  liv.  7);  rich 
(Ep.  ii.  4)  ;  manifold  (Neh.  ix.  27;  Lam.  iii.  32) ;  plenteous  (Ps.  lxxxvi.  5. 
15,  ciii.  8);  abundant  (1  Pet.  i.  3);  sure  (Is.  Iv.  3;  Mic.  vii.  20);  ever- 
lasting (1  Ch.  xvi.  34;  Ps.  lxxxix.  28);  tender  (Ps.  xxv.  6;  Lu.  i.  78); 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACnEUS.  223 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [God-Attributes,  No.  2. 

new  every  morning  (Lam.  iii.  23) ;  high  as  heaven  (Ps.  xxxvi.  5,  ciii.  11  ; 
filling  the  earth  (Ps.  cxix.  64) ;  over  all  His  works  (Ps.  cxlv.  9).  Is  11  is 
delight  (Mic.  vii.  IS).  [Long-suffering.]  Is  part  of  His  character  (Ex. 
xxxiv.  6;  Nu.  xiv.  18;  Ps.  lxxxvi.  15).  Salvation,  the  object  of  (2  Pet. 
ill.  15);  through  Christ's  intercession  (Lu.  xiii.  8);  should  lead  to  repen- 
tance (Ro.  ii.  4;  2  Pet.  iii.  9) ;  an  encouragement  to  repent  (Joel  ii.  13) ; 
exhibited  in  forgiving  sins  (Ro.  iii.  25).  Exercised  toward  His  people  (Is. 
xxx.  18  ;  Ez.  xx.  17);  the  wicked  (Ro.  ix.  22;  1  Pet.  iii.  20).  Plead  in 
pi.iyer  (Jer.  xv.  15) ;  limits  set  to  (Ge.  vi.  3  ;  Jer.  xliv.  22) ;  ill.  (Lu.  xiii. 
G-9"  Example:  Manasseh  (2  Ch.  xxxiii.  10-13);  Israel  (Ps.  lxxviii.  38; 
Is.  xlviii.  9)  j  Jerusalem  (Mat.  xxiii.  37)  ;  Paul  (1  Tim.  i.  lb).  [Loving- 
kindness.]  Is  through  Christ  (Ep.  ii.  7  ;  Tit.  iii.  4-6).  Described  as 
great  (Neh.  ix.  17);  excellent  (Ps.  xxxvi.  7);  good  (Ps.  lxix.  16);  mar- 
vellous (Ps.  xvii.  7,  xxxi.  21) ;  multitudinous  (Is.  lxiii.  7) ;  everlasting 
(Is.  liv.  8) ;  merciful  (Ps.  cxvii.  2) ;  better  than  life  (Ps.  lxiii.  3).  Con- 
sideration of  the  dealings  of  God  gives  a  knowledge  of  (Ps.  cvii.  43). 
[Holiness.]  Is  incomparable  (Ex.  xv.  11;  1  S.  ii.  2).  Shown  in  Bis 
character  (Ps.  xxii.  3;  Jo.  xvii.  11);  name  (Is.  lvii.  15;  Lu.  i.  49); 
-words  (Ps.  Ix.  6 ;  Jer.  xxiii.  9) ;  works  (Ps.  cxlv.  17) ;  kingdom  (Ps. 
xlvii.  8). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  He  is  God,  the 
Great,  the  Mighty,  the  Tremendous,  the  Merciful,  the  Gracious,  the 
Benign,  the  Wise,  the  Faithful,  the  Just,  and  the  Virtuous.  Omniscience, 
Omnipresence,  Omnipotence,  are  His  alone,  whose  Being  knew  no  begin- 
ning, and  can  know  no  end."  (The  Mishna  Torah.)  "They  who  derido 
the  name  of  God  are  the  most  unhappy  of  men,  except  those  who  make  a 
trade  of  honouring  Him.  And  how  many  of  the  self-styled,  world- 
applauded  holy  are  mere  traffickers  in  the  temple,  setting  so  much  pre- 
sent self-denial  against  so  much  future  enjoyment." 

"  In  having  all  things  and  not  Thee,  what  have  I  ? 
Not  having  Thee,  what  have  my  labours  got  ? 
Let  me  enjoy  but  Thee,  what  further  crave  I  ? 
And  having  Thee  alone,  what  have  I  not  ? 
I  wish  not  sea  nor  land ;  nor  would  I  be 
Possessed  of  heaven,  heaven  unpossessed  of  Thee." 

(Quarles.) 
TV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  Imitate  the  moral  character  of  God. 
2.  Seek  to  possess  His  transforming  spirit.  3.  On  Ps.  lxxxvi.  5,  "  1.  Wo 
have  not  to  persuade  or  argue  Him  into  the  mind  to  forgive  ;  He  is  ready, 
through  what  Christ  has  done.  2.  He  is  ready  to  forgive  all  sins.  3.  He 
is  ready  to  forgive  all  sinners.  4.  He  is  ready  to  forgive  freely.  5.  He  is 
ready  to  forgive  now." 

"  And  can  there  be  who  doubt  there  is  a  God, 
And  life  eternal  ?    When  the  river  flows, 
Deny  the  fountain-head  who  will,  the  wave 
That,  curling,  murmurs  farthest  from  its  source, 
That  source  attests.     Show  me  some  well-wrought  work 
Of  matter  or  of  mind  ;  though  you  produce 
No  author,  I  conclude  that  such  there  was, 
Or  this  had  never  been,  and  give  him  praise." 


224  TOPICS    FOR  TEACHERS, 


Christ— mobtUy.]     ■  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Doctrinal- — "  To  create,  to  call  something  out  of  nothing,  be 
it  a  dying  spark  or  a  blazing  sun,  a  dew-drop  cradled  in  a  lily's 
bosom,  or  the  vast  ocean  in  the  hollow  of  God's  hand,  mole-hill  or 
mountain,  the  dancing  motes  of  a  sunbeam,  or  the  rolling  planets 
of  a  system,  a  burning  seraph  of  a  feeble  glow-worm,  one  of  the 
ephemera  that  takes  wing  in  the  morning  and  is  dead  at  night,  or 
one  of  the  angels  that  sang  when  our  Lord  was  born ;  whatever  be 
the  thing  created,  the  power  to  create  is  God's— the  act  of  creation 
His  ;  and,  therefore,  since  Paul  says  that  Jesus  Christ  created  all  things, 
he  cannot  mean  to  depose  our  Lord  fr.  the  throne  of  divinity,  and 
lower  God's  only  begotten  Son  to  the  level  of  a  created  being." 
(Guthrie  )  "  Two  gentlemen  were  once  disputing  on  the  divinity  of 
Christ ;  one  of  them,  who  argued  against  it,  said,  '  If  it  were  true,  it 
certainly  would  have  been  expressed  in  more  clear  and  unequivocal 
terms.'  "  'Well,'  said  the  other,  '  admitting  that  you  believed  it,  were 
you  authorised  to  teach  it,  and  allowed  to  use  your  own  language, 
how  would  you  express  the  doctrine  to  make  it  indubitable  ?  '  '  I 
would  say,'  replied  he,  '  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  God.' 
'You  are  very  happy,'  replied  the  other,  'in  the  choice  of  your 
words,  for  you  have  happened  to  hit  upon  the  very  words  of  inspi- 
ration. St.  John,  speaking  of  the  Son,  says,  •  This  is  THE  TRUE  God, 
and  eternal  life.'"     (  Wilson.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Christ's  Divinity.— -Si?  is  ref.  to  as  Jehovah 
(Is.  xl.  3,  cf  Mat.  iii.  3) ;  of  glory  (Ps.  xxiv.  7-10,  cf  1  Cor.  ii.  8 ;  Jas. 
ii.  1);  our  righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6,  cf.  1  Cor.  i.  30);  above  all  (Ps. 
xcvii.  9,  cf.  Jo.  iii.  31);  the  First  and  the  Last  (Is.  xliv.  6,  cf.  Rev.  i. 
17  ;  Isa.  xlviii.  12-16,  cf.  Rev.  xxii.  13) ;  Fellow  and  Equal  (Zee.  xiii.  7 ; 
Phi.  ii.  6) ;  of  Hosts  (Is.  vi.  1-3,  cf.  Jo.  xii.  41 ;  Is.  viii.  13,  14,  cf. 
1  Pet.  ii.  8);  the  Shepherd  (Is.  xl.  10,  11;  Heb.  xiii.  20);  for  whose 
glory  all  things  were  created  (Pr.  xvi.  4,  cf.  Col.  i.  16);  the  Messenger  of 
the  covenant  (Mai.  iii.  1,  cf.  Lu.  ii.  27) ;  invoked  as  Jehovah  (Joel  ii.  32, 
cf.  1  Cor.  i.  2)  ;  Eternal  God  and  Creator  (Ps.  cii.  24-27,  cf.  Heb.  i.  8, 
iO-12) ;  Mighty  God  (Isa.  ix.  6) ;  Great  God  (Hos.  i.  7,  cf.  Tit.  ii.  13) ; 
over  all  (Ro.  ix.  5) ;  true  God  (Jer.  x.  10),  cf  1  Jo.  v.  20) ;  the  Word 
(Jo.  i.  1)  ;  the  Judge  (Ec.  xii.  14,  cf.  1  Cor.  iv.  5  ;  2  Cor.  v.  10 ;  2  Tim. 
iv.  1) ;  Immanuel  (Is.  vii.  14,  cf.  Mat.  i.  23) ;  King  of  kings  (Dan.  x. 
17,  cf.  Rev.  i.  5,  xvii.  14);  Holy  One  (1  S.  ii.  2,  cf.  Ac.  iii.  14): 
Lord  from  heaven  (1  Cor.  xv.  47)  ;  Lord  of  Sabbath  (Ge.  ii.  3,  cf.  Mat. 
xii.  8) ;  Lord  of  all  (Ac.  x.  36  ;  Ro.  i.  11-13);  Son  of  God  (Mat.  xxvi. 
63-67);  Only-begotten  Son  (Jo.  i.  14,  18,  iii  16,  18;  1  Jo.  iv.  9); 
One  with  the  Father  (Jo.  x.  30,  38,  xii.  45,  xiv.  7-10,  xvii.  10);  sending 
the  Spirit,  equally  with  Father  (xiv.  16,  cf.  xv.  26) ;  entitled  to  equal 
honour  (v.  23)  ;  Owner  of  all  things  with  Father  (xvi.  15);  unrestricted 
by  law  (v.  17)  ;  source  of  grace  (1  Thes.  iii.  11  ;  2  Thes.  ii.  16,  17) ;  un- 
searchable (Pr.  xxx.  4  ;  Mat.  xi.  27) ;  Creator  of  all  things  (Is.  xl.  28 ; 
Jo.  i.  3  ;  Col.  i.  16) ;  Supporter  and  Preserver  (Neh.  ix.  6,  cf  Col.  i.  17 ; 
Heb.  i.  3)  ;  possessed  of  fulness  of  Godhead  (Col.  ii.  9)  ;  raisinq;  dead  (Jo. 
v.  21,  vi.  40,  54);  raising  Himself  fr.  dead  (ii.  19,  21,  x.  18) ;  Eternal  (Is. 


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TOPICS    FOR    TEACHER8.  225 

Theology.]  TRUE  RBLIQION.  [Christ,  Divinity. 

ix.  G;  Mie.  v.  2,  Jo.  i.  1;  Col.  i.  17  ;  Hob.  i.  8-10;  Rev.  i.  8);  Omni- 
present (Mat.  xviii.  20,  xxviii.  20  ;  Jo.  iii.  13)  ;  Omnipotent  (Pa.  xlv. 
3  ;  Phi.  iii.  21  ;  Rev.  i.  1) ;  Omniscient  (Jo.  xvi.  30,  xxi.  17)  ;  discerning 
thoughts  (1  K.  viii.  39,  cf  Lu.  v.  22;  Ez.  xxi.  5,  cf.  Jo.  ii.  21,  25  ;  Rev. 
ii.  23)  ;  unchangeable  (Mai.  iii.  6,  cf.  Heb.  i.  12,  xiii.  8) ;  power  to  forgive 
(Col.  iii.  13,  cf.  Mk.  ii.  7,  10)  ;  Giver  of  pastors  (Jer.  iii.  15,  cf.  Eph.  iv. 
12-13);  Husband  of  Church  (Is.  xliv.  5,  cf.  Eph.  v.  25-32;  Is.  lxii.  5, 
cf.  Rev.  xxi.  2,  9)  ;  object  of  worship  (Ac.  vii.  5  ;  2  Cor.  xii.  8,  9  ;  Heb. 
i".  6;  Rev.  v.  12)  ;  object  of  faith  (Ps.  ii.  12,  cf.  1  Pet.  ii.  6  ;  Jer.  xvii. 
5,  7,  cf  Jo.  xiv.  1);  He  redeems  and  purifies  Church  unto  Himself  (Rev. 
v.  9,  cf.  Tit.  ii.  14)  ;  He  presents  the  Church  to  Himself  (Eph.  v.  27,  cf. 
Jude  24,  25).  Saints  live  unto  Him  (Ro.  vi.  11,  and  Gal.  ii.  10,  cf  2  Cor. 
v.  15).  Acknowledged  by  apostles  (Jo.  xx.  28).  Acknowledged  by  o.  t. 
saints  (Ge.  xvii.  1,  cf.  xlviii.  15,  16,  xxxii.  24-30,  cf.  Hos.  xii.  3-5;  Jud. 
vi.  22-24,  xiii.  21,  22  ;  Job  xix.  25-27). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— 1.  The  Divinity  of 

Christ  stamps  with  an  infinite  worth  His  atonement,  as  the  ground  of  our 
justification  and  reconciliation  with  God  ;  His  character,  as  demanding  our 
humble  imitation  ;  His  teachings,  as  final  in  matters  of  faith  and  duty  ;  His 
advocacy  and  intercession,  as  grounds  of  hope  for  our  final  perseverance. 

2.  His  divinity  was  so  evident  that  He  is  often  called  by  Himself  '  the 
Son  of  man,'  as  if  His  necessary  humanity  were  likely  to  be  overlooked. 

3.  In  the  light  of  His  divinity,  how  marvellous  appears  His  humiliation 
(1  Tim.  iii.  16). 

"  To  conquer  and  to  save,  the  Son  of  God 
Came  to  His  own  in  great  humility. 
Who,  wont  to  ride  on  cherub  wings  abroad, 
And  round  Him  wrap  the  mantle  of  the  sky. 
The  mountains  bent  their  necks  to  form  His  road, 
The  clouds  dropt  down  their  fatness  from  on  high ; 
Beneath  His  feet  the  wild  waves  softly  flowed, 
And  the  wind  kissed  His  garment  tremblingly. 
The  grave  unbolted  halt  his  grisly  door, 
(For  darkness  and  the  deep  had  heard  His  fame, 
Nor  longer  might  their  ancient  rule  endure)  ; 
The  mightiest  of  mankind  stood  hushed  and  tame ; 
And,  trooping  on  strong  wings,  His  angels  came 
To  work  His  will,  and  kingdom  to  secure  ; 
No  strength  He  needed,  save  His  Father's  name, 
Babes  were  His  heralds,  and  His  friends  the  poor."     (Heber.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  This  Divine  Saviour  is  present,  able,  and 
willing  to  save  you.  2.  If  He  does  not  save,  who  can  ?  3.  If  you  reject 
Christ  now,  "what  will  you  do  in  the  end?"  4.  On  Matt.  xxi.  37  :  (1) 
Last  of  all  He  sent  to  you  His  son,  having  sent  to  you  other  messengers  to 
prepare  for  His  coming  to  the  heart.  (2)  He  sent  Him,  a  special  messenger. 
(3)  He  sent  Him  with  a  defined  expectation.  (4)  He  will  send  no  one 
else.  (5)  This  messenger  comes  to  teach  of  us  many  times.  (6)  Some 
coming  of  His  will  be  the  last.  It  may  be  this  one.  "  To-day,  if  ye  will 
hear  His  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 


226 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Christ— Offices.] 


TRUE  RELlUlny. 


[Christian 


I       fe- 


P 


I.  Offices  of  Christ. — "Now  Christ  is  offered  and  held  forth  to 
every  particular  person  that  expects  to  be  saved  by  Him  under  three 
offices: — 1.  His  Prophetical,  2.  His  Kingly,  3.  His  Sacerdotal;    in 

wh.  ace.  I  give  you  not 
only  the  number  of  His 
offices,  but  also  their  or- 
der as  they  stand  related 
to  us.  And  this  order 
and  economy  of  them  is 
founded  upon  the  very 
nature  of  the  thing,  and 
the  natural  order  of  reli- 
gious actions.  For  in  the 
procedure  of  naturo 
there  must  be — 1.  The 
knowledge  of  a  duty;  2. 
The  performance  of  it ;  3. 
The  reward.  Correspon- 
dent to  these  is  the  eco- 
nomy of  Christ's  offices; 
for,  1.  By  Christ's  pro- 
phetic office,  revealing 
^='=  =sH=  =-      ~  His  mind  to  us,  we  come 

to  know  His  will.  2. 
Then,  by  His  kingly  office,  ruling  and  governing  us,  we  come  to  yield 
obedience  to  that  will.  3.  And  thirdly,  by  His  sacerdotal,  or  priestly 
office,  we  come  to  receive  the  fruit  of  that  obedience  in  our  justifica- 
tion and  salvation.  For  we  must  not  think  that  our  obedience  is 
rewarded  with  eternal  life  for  its  own  merit,  but  it  is  the  merit  of 
Christ's  sacrifice  that  procui-es  this  reward  to  our  obedience."  {Son Hi.) 


-•Oe?.- 


II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Christ  as— [Priest.]  Appointed  (Hub.  iii.  1, 
2,  v.  4,  5) ;  order  of  Melchizedek  (Ps.  ex.  4,  ef.  Heb.  v.  6,  vi.  20,  vii.  15, 
17);  superior  to  Aaron  (vii.  11,  16,  22,  viii.  1,  2,  6);  consecrated  (vii. 
20,  21);  unchangeable  (vii.  23,  28) ;  purity  (vii.  26,  28)  ;  faithful  (iii.  2)  ; 
needed  no  sacrifice  (vii.  27) ;  Himself  a  sacrifice  (ix.  14,  26)  ;  sacrifice 
superior  (ix.  13,  14,  23) ;  sacrifice  once  (vii.  27) ;  made  reconciliation  (ii. 
17);  obtained  redemption  (ix.  12);  entered  heaven  (iy.  14,  x.  12); 
sympathizes  with  saints  (ii.  18,  iv.  15) ;  intercedes  (vii.  25,  ix.  24) ; 
blesses  (Nu.  vi.  23-26,  ef.  Ac.  iii.  26);  on  His  throne  (Zee.  vi.  13); 
an  encouragement  (Heb.  iv.  14).  Type  :  Melchizedek  (Ge.  xiv.  18- 
20");  Aaron,  &c.  (Ex.  xl.  12-15).  [Prophet.]  Foretold  (Deu.  xviii.  15, 
18';  Is.  Hi.  7;  Nah.  i.  15);  anointed  (Is.  xlii.  1,  lxi.  1,  ef.  Lu.  iv.  18;  Jo. 
iii.  34)  ;  knows  and  reveals  God  (Mat.  xi.  27;  Jo.  iii.  2,  13,  34,  xvii.  6,  14, 
26;  Heb.  i.  1,  2) ;  His  doctrine  of  the  Father  (Jo.  viii.  26,  28,  xii.  49,  50, 
xiv.  10,  24,  xv.  15,  xvii.  8,  16);  preached,  worked  miracles  (Mat.  iv.  23, 
xi.  5;  Lu.  iv.  43);  foretold  (Mat.  xxiv.  3-35;    Lu.  xix.  41-44);   faithful 


Tones  von  teachers.  227 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christ— Offices. 

(Till.  iv.  13  ;  Jo.  xvii.  8;  Heb.  iii.  2  \  Rev.  i.  5,  iii.  14)  ;  wise  (Lu.  ii.  40, 
47,  .32;  Col.  ii.  3) ;  mighty  in  deed  and  word  (Mat.  xiii.  54  ;  Mk.  i.  27  ; 
Lu.  iv.  32 ;  Jo.  vii.  46);  meek  (Is.  xlii.  2;  Mat.  xii.  17-20);  God  commands 
to  hear  (IVu.  xviii.  15;  Ac.  iii.  22);  God  will  visit  neglect  of  (Dcu.  xviii. 
10;  Ac.  iii.  23;  Heb.  ii.  3).  7'  ,  .  M  >ses  (Dcu.  xviii.  15).  [King.]  Fore- 
told. (Nu.  xxiv.  17)  ;  glorious  (Ps.  xxiv.  7-10;  1  Cor.  ii.  8) ;  supreme  (Ps. 
lxxxix.  27;  Rev.  i.  5);  sits  in  the  throne  of  God  (iii.  21;;  David 
(Is.  ix.  7 ;  Ez.  xxxvii.  21,  25) ;  is  King  of  Zion  (Ps.  ii.  G  ;  Is.  Iii.  7) ;  king- 
dom righteous  (Ps.  xlv.  G,  cf.  Heb.  i.  8,  0) ;  everlasting  (Dan.  ii.  44;  Lu. 
i.  33) ;  universal  (Ps.  ii.  8  ;  Rev.  xi.  15) ;  not  of  world  (Jo.  xviii.  36)  ; 
saints  subjects  (Col  i.  13;  Rev.  xv.  3);  saints  receive  a  kingdom  (Lu. 
xxii.  29,  30;  Heb.  xii.  28).  d  (Mat.  ii.  2  ;  Jo.  i.  49  ;  Lu.  xix. 

38)  ;  by  Himself  (Mat.  xxv.  34  ;  Jo.  xviii.  37)  ;  written  on  cross  (Jo.  xix. 
19) ;  Jews  shall  seek  (Hos.  iii.  5) ;  saints  behold  (Is.  xxxiii.  17  ;  Rev.  xxii. 
3.  4) ;  kings  do  homage  (Ps.  Ixxii.  10  ;  Is.  xlix.  71;  shall  overcome  enemies 
(Ps.'cx.  1  ;  Mk.  xii.  36;  1  Cor.  xv.  25  ;  Rev.  xvii.  14).  Tijpcs:  Melchi- 
zedek  (Ge.  xiv.  18);  David  (1  8.  xvi.  1,  12,  13,  cf.  Lu.  i.  32). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [King.]    A  king  is 

usually:  1.  Of  royal  descent  (Col.  i.  15;  Heb.  i.  6).  2.  Has  great  qualifi- 
cations, "treasures  of  wisdom,  etc."  3.  Elected  (Ps.  lxxxix.  19).  4. 
Anointed  (xlv.  7  ;  Is.  lxi.  1,  3).  5.  Proclaimed  (1  S.  x.  24 ;  Lu.  ii.  11).  6. 
Has  a  great  retinue — angels.  7.  Has  subjects — Christians.  8.  Governs 
by  laws — Gospel.  9.  Has  often  rebels,  so  has  Christ.  10.  Has  great 
dominions.  11.  Has  a  crown  and  sceptre,  " many  crowns,"  "sceptre  of 
righteousness."  12.  Has  ambassadors  ('2  Cor.  v.  20).  (Keach.)  [Priest] 
The  h. -priest  had  to  do  four  things.  1.  Kill  the  beasts.  2.  Enter  with  the 
blood  into  Holy  of  holies.  3.  Sprinkle  mercy-seat.  4.  Kindle  the  incense, 
and  with  smoke  of  it  cause  a  cloud  to  arise  over  the  mercy-seat,  and  so 
the  atonement  was  made  (Lev.  xvi.  11-16).  So  Christ:  1.  Was  offei-ed  up 
in  sacrifice  2.  Is  gone  up  into  heaven.  3.  Spreads  His  blood  before  His 
Father.  4.  Makes  intercession.  "When  Escubis  was  accused  for  some  im- 
piety, his  brother  stood  up  for  him,  and  showed  the  magistrates  how  he 
had  lost  his  hand  in  the  service  of  the  state,  and  so  obtained  his  pardon  ; 
thus,  when  satan  accuseth  the  saints,  or  when  the  justice  of  God  lays  any- 
thing to  their  charge,  Christ  shows  His  own  wounds,  and  by  virtue  of  his 
sufferings  He  answers  all  the  challenges  of  the  law,  and  counterworks 
satan's  accusations."  {Watson.)  [Prophet.]  He  not  only  opened  the 
Scriptures,  but  the  understanding  also  (Lu.  xxiv.  4.5,  cf.  Is.  xlviii.  17). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Christ  sustains  these  offices  for  us.  How 
are  we  related  to  each  one  ?  Are  we  taught  by  this  Prophet — ruled  by 
this  King — interceded  for  by  this  Priest?  Otherwise — so  far  as  we  are  con- 
cerned— Christ  might  as  well  not  sustain  these  offices.  But  how  are  we 
to  be  saved  if  we  slight  Him  ? 

"  The  golden  censer  in  His  hand, 
He  offers  hearts  from  every  land, 
Tied  to  His  own  by  gentlest  band 

Of  silent  love : 
About  Him  winged  blessings  stand, 
In  act  to  move."  (Keble.) 


228 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Christ—  Titles.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Fulness  of  Christ.— This  is  ill.  by  His  many  and  various  ts. 
No  one  exhibits  the  whole  of  Christ  and  of  His  relations.  The  whole 
must  be  studied — as  rays  of  glory  meeting  in  the  sun  of  righteous- 
ness ;  and  each  must  be  followed  out  to  its 
legitimate  issues  if  we  would  know  Him. 
"  For  this  is  part  of  the  glory  of  Christ 
as  conrp.  with  His  servants,  as  comp. 
with  the  chiefest  of  His  servants,  that  He 
alone  stands  in  the  centre  of  humanity, 
the  one  completely  harmonious  man,  un- 
folding all  wh.  was  in  that  humanity 
equally  upon  all  sides,  fully  upon  all  sides, 
the  only  one  in  whom  the  real  and  ideal 
met,  and  were  absolutely  at  one.  Every 
other  man  has  idiosyncrasies,  charac- 
teristics— some  features,  that  is,  of  his 
character  more  strongly  marked  than 
others,  fitnesses  for  one  task  rather 
than  for  another,  more  genial  powers 
in  one  direction  than  in  others.  Nor 
are  even  the  greatest,  a  St.  Paul  or 
a  St.  John,  exempted  from  this  law; 
but,    according    to   this   law,   are  made 

to  serve  for  the  kingdom  of  God."  ( Trench). 

II.  Titles  of  Christ.— Adam  (1  Cor.  xv.  45).  Almighty  (Rev.  i.  8). 
Amen  (Rev.  iii.  14).  Alpha  and  Omega  (Rev.  i.  8,  xxii.  13).  Advocate 
(1  Jo.  ii.  1).  Angel  (Ge.  xlviii.  16  ;  Ex.  xxiii.  20,  21) ;  of  Lord  (Ex  iii. 
2;  Jud.  xiii.  15-18);  of  God's  presence  (Is.  lxiii  9).  Apostle  (Heb.  iii.  1). 
Arm  of  Lord  (Is.  Ii.  9,  liii.  1).  Author  and  Finisher  of  Faith  (Heb.  xii. 
2).  Potentate  (1  Tim.  vi.  15).  Beginning  of  Creation  (Rev.  iii.  14). 
Branch  (Jer.  xxiii.  5;  Zee.  iii.  8,  vi.  12).  Bread  of  life  (Jo.  vi.  35,  48). 
Breaker  (Mic.  ii.  13).  Captain  of  Lord's  host  (Jos.  v.  14,  15)  ;  of  salvation 
(Heb.  ii.  10).  Shepherd  (1  Pet.  v.  4;  Jo.  x.  14).  Christ  (Lu.  ix.  20). 
Consolation  (ii.  25).  Corner-stone-  (Eph.  ii.  20;  1  Pet.  ii.  6).  Com- 
mander (Is.  lv.  4).  Counsellor  (ix.  6).  David  (Jer.  xxx.  9;  Ez.  xxxiv. 
23).  Day-spring  (Lu.  i.  78).  Deliverer  (Ro.  xi.  20).  Desire  of  all  nations 
(Hag.  ii.  7).  Door  (Jo.  x.  7).  Elect  (Is.  xlii.  1).  Emmanuel  (Is.  vii.  14,  cf. 
Mat.  i.  23).  Eternal  life  (1  Jo.  i.  2,  v.  20).  Everlasting  Father  (Is.  ix. 
6).  Faithful  witness  (Rev.  i.  5,  hi.  14).  First  and  last  (Rev.  i.  17,  ii.  8). 
First- begotten  of  dead  (Rev.  i.  5).  Forerunner  (Heb.  vi.  20).  God  (Is. 
xl.  9;  Jo.  xx.  28)  ;  blessed  for  ever  (Ro.  ix.  5)  ;  fellow  (Zee.  xiii.  7). 
Glory  of  Lord  (Is.  xl.  5).  High  Priest  (Heh  iv.  14).  Governor  (Mat.  ii. 
6).  'Head  of  Church  (Eph.  v.  23;  Col.  i.  18).  Heir  (Heb.  i.  2).  Holy 
Child  Jesus  (Ac.  iv.  30)  ;  one  (Ps.  xvi.  10,  cf.  Ac.  ii.  27,  31)  ;  one  of  God 
(Mk.  i.  24)  ;  one  of  Israel  (Is.  xli.  14).  Horn  of  salvation  (Lu.  i.  69).  I 
AM  (Ex.  iii.  14,  cf.  Jo.  vih.  58).  JEHOVAH  (Is.  xxvi.  4,  xl.  3).  Jesus 
(Mat.  i.  21 ;  1  Thes.  i.  10).     Judge  (Mic.  v.  1).     Just  One  (Ac.  vii.  52).  . 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  229 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  (Christ- Titles. 

King  (Zee.  ix.  9,  ef.  Slat.  xxi.  5)  ;  of  Israel  (Jo.  i.  49)  ;  of  tho  Jews  (Mat. 
ii.  2)  ;  of  saints  (Rev.  xv.  3)  ;  of  kings  (1  Tim.  vi.  15;  Rev.  xvii.  14). 
Law-giver  (Is.  xxxiii.  22;  Jas.  iv.  12).  Lamb  (Rev.  xiii.  8)  ;  of  God  (Jo. 
i.  29,  36).  Leader  (Is.  Iv.  4).  Life  (Jo.  xiv.  6 ;  Col.  iii.  4  ;  1  Jo.  1,  2). 
Light  of  world  (Jo.  viii.  12).  Lion  of  Judah  (Rev.  v.  5).  Lord  of  glory 
(1  Cor.  ii.  8);  of  all  (Ac.  x.  36  ;  Ro.  x.  12)  ;  our  righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii. 
6) ;  of  prophets  (Rev.  xxii.  6,  16) ;  Almighty  (Rev.  xv.  3).  Mediator  (1 
Tim.  ii.  5).  Messenger  (Mai.  iii.  1).  Messiah  (Dan.  ix.  25;  Jo.  i.  41). 
Mighty  God  (Is.  ix.  6) ;  one  of  Jacob  (lx.  16).  Morning-star  (Rev.  xxii. 
16).  Nazarene  (Mat.  ii.  23).  Offspring  of  David  (Rev.  xxii.  16).  Only- 
begotten  (Jo.  i.  14).  Passover  (1  Cor.  v.  7).  Plant  of  renown  (Ez.  xxxiv. 
29).  Prince  of  life  (Ac.  iii.  15)  ;  of  peace  (Is.  ix.  6)  ;  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth  (Rev.  i.  5).  Prophet  (Lu.  xxiv.  19;  Jo.  vii.  40).  Ransom  (1  Tim. 
ii.  6).  Redeemer  (Job  xix.  25;  Is.  lix.  20,  lx.  16).  Resurrection  and  life 
(Jo.  xi.  25).  Rock  (1  Cor.  x.  4).  Root  of  David  (Rev.  xxii.  16);  of  Jesse 
(Is.  xi.  10).  Rose  (So.  of  Sol.  ii.  1).  Ruler  (Mic.  v.  2).  Saviour  (2  Pet. 
ii.  20,  iii.  18).  Servant  (Is.  xlii.  1).  Bishop  of  souls  (1  Pet.  ii.  25).' 
Shiloh  (Ge.  xlix.  10).  Son  of  the  blessed -(Mk.  xiv.  61) ;  of  God  (Lu.  i. 
35  ;  Jo.  i.  49) ;  of  highest  (Lu.  i.  32) ;  of  David  (Mat.  ix.  27)  ;  of  man  (Jo. 
v.  27,  vi.  27).  Star  (Nu.  xxiv.  17).  Sun  of  righteousness  (Mai.  iv.  2). 
Surety  (Heb.  vii.  22).  True  God  (1  Jo.  v.  20) ;  light  (Jo.  i.  9) ;  vine  (xv. 
1).  Truth  (xiv.  6).  Way  (xiv.  6) .  Wisdom  (Pr.  viii.  12).  Witnesses. 
Iv.  4).  Wonderful  (Lx.  6).  Word  (Jo.  i.  1 ;  1  Jo.  v.  7) ;  of  God  (Rev.  xix. 
13);  of  life  (1  Jo.  i.  1.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Scarcely  can  any 
mere  man  perfectly  fulfil  the  conditions  and  duties  of  one  title.  Christ 
was  equally  perfect  in  each  of  many.  As  perfect  as  if  any  one  were  the 
only  one.  Does  not  ill.  and  confirm  His  divinity  ?  All  the  ts.  of  Christ 
concern  us :  but  first  and  chiefest  that  of  Saviour.  If  we  personally  un- 
derstand that,  we  shall  be  prepared  to  understand  the  rest.  To  those  who 
believe,  He  is  precious  in  all  His  ts.,  and  corresponding  relations.  (See 
ako  Dyers  Christ's  Titles).  "  The  name  of  Jesus  is  not  only  light,  but  also 
food ;  it  is  likewise  oil,  without  which  all  the  food  of  the  soul  is  dry  ;  it  is 
salt,  unseasoned  by  which  whatever  is  presented  to  us  is  insipid ;  it  is 
honey  in  the  mouth,  melody  in  the  ear,  joy  in  the  heart,  medicine  to  the 
soul ;  and  theie  are  no  charms  in  any  discourse  in  which  His  name  is  not 
heard."  (Bernard.)  "  Salvation  may  be  presented  as  consisting  of  four 
successive  steps.  1.  Conversion,  at  whatever  period  of  life,  or  by  whatever 
instrumentality  accomplished.  2.  Sanctijicatwn  ;  carried  on  from  thence 
to  the  end  of  life,  whether  long  or  short.  3.  The  happiness  of  the  disem- 
bodied spirit,  which  we  call  death.  4.  The  reunion  of  the  spirit  with  the 
body  ;  risen  and  fashioned  like  Christ's  glorious  body."    (Dr.  M'Xeill.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Study  each  and  all  of  the  titles  of  Christ. 
Think  of  your  own  ts., — Christian,  servant,  disciple,  light  of  world,  etc. 
Each  of  us  has  deserved  the  t.  of  sinners :  have  we  borne  that  of  penitent  ? 
Do  we  understand  that  of  Saviour  ? 


230  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Holy  Spirit— Personalty-]        TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  111.  of  Personality  of- — "  A  young  student,  preparing  for 
Cambridge,  was  assailed  by  a  certain  village  sceptic,  who  sneered  at 
the  idea  of  the  H.  Ghost  being  a  person.  '  Personality  of  the  Spirit  ! ' 
said  he;  '  why,  the  Spirit  is  wind,  breath,  air — the  very  (Jreek  word 
shows  you  this,  for  it  simply  means  wind.'  '  Be  it  so.'  replied  the 
youth;  'then  be  so  good  as  to  tell  me  the  meaning  of  this  passage: — 
Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  wind,  he  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  ;  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  wind  is  wind.  The  wind  bloweih  where  it 
listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence 
it  cometh  and  whither  it  goeth  ;  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the 
ivind.'  The  sceptic,  taken  aback,  had  no  answer  :  and  the  student 
passed  on,  saying  to  him, '  Your  words  are  born  of  the  ivind,  but  not 
of  the  Spirit.'" 

II.  Bible  Proofs  of  Personality. — He  creates  and  gives  life  (Job 
xxxiii.  4)  ;  appoints  and  commissions  ministers  (Is.  xlviii.  16  ;  Ac.  xiii.  2, 
xx.  28) ;  directs  ministers  where  to  preach  (Ac.  viii.  29,  x.  19,  20)  ;  not  to 
preach  (Ac-  xvi.  6,  7)  ;  instructs  what  to  preach  (1  Cor.  ii.  13) ;  spoke  in 
and  by  the  prophets  (Ac.  i.  16  ;  1  Pet.  i.  11,  12  ;  2  Pet.  i.  21)  ;  strives  with 
sinners  (Ge.  vi.  3) ;  reproves  (Jo.  xvi.  1)  ;  comforts  (Ac.  ix.  31) ;  helps  our 
infirmities  (Ro.  viii.  26)  ;  teaches  (Jo.  xiv.  26 ;  1  Cor.  xii.  3) ;  guides  (Jo. 
xvi.  13) ;  sanctifies  (Ro.  xv.  16  ;  1  Cor.  vi.  11) ;  testifies  of  Christ  (Jo.  xv. 
26);  glorifies  Christ  (Jo.  xvi.  14);  has  power  of  His  own  (Ro.  xv.  13); 
searches  all  things  (Ro.  xi.  33,  34,  cf  1  Cor.  ii.  10,  11) ;  works  His  own  will 
(1  Cor.  xii.  11) ;  dwells  with  saints  (Jo.  xiv.  17);  can  be  grieved  (Eph.  iv. 
30) ;  vexed  (Is.lxiii.  10) ;  resisted  (Ac.  vii.  51)  ;  tempted  (Ac.  v.  9). 

III.  Bible  Refs.  to  Trinity—  Proof  (Mat.  iii.  16,  17;  Rom.  viii. 
9  ;  1  Cor.  xii.  3-6 ;  Eph.  iv.  4-6 ;  1  Pet.  i.  2  ;  1  Jo.  v.  7  ;  Jude  20,  21)  ; 
divine  titles  app.  to  three  persons  (Ex.  xx.  2,  cf.  Jo.  xx.  28,  and  Ac.  v.  3,  4). 
Each  Person  is  eternal  (Ro.  xvi.  26,  cf.  Rev.  xxii.  13  ;  Heb.  ix.  14) ;  holy 
(Rev.  iv.  8,  xv.  4,  cf.  Ac.  iii.  14,  and  1  Jo.  ii.  20)  ;  true  (Jo.  vii.  28,  cf. 
Rev.  iii.  7;  1  Jo.  v.  6);  omnipresent  (Jer.  xxiii.  24,  cf.  Eph.  i.  23,  and 
Ps.  exxxix.  7) ;  omnipotent  (Ge.  xvii.  1,  cf.  Rev.  i.  8 ;  Ro.  xv.  19  ;  Jer. 
xxxii.  17,  cf  Heb.  i.  3;  Lu.  i.  35) ;  omniscient  (Ac.  xv.  18,  cf.  Jo.  xxii. 
17;  1  Cor.  ii.  10,  11)  ;  creator  (Ge.  i.  1,  cf.  Col.  i.  16;  Job  xxxiii.  4;  Ps. 
xlviii.  5,  cf.  Jo.  i.  3 ;  Job  xxvi.  13)  ;  sanctifier  (Jude  1,  cf.  Hob.  ii.  11 ;  1 
Pet.  i.  2;  author  of  spiritual  operations  (Heb.  xiii.  21,  cf.  Col.  i.  29 ;  1 
Cor.  xii.  11) ;  source  of  eternal  life  (Ro.  vi.  23,  cf.  Jo.  x.  28  ;  Gal.  vi.  8) ; 
teacher  (Is.  liv.  13,  cf.  Lu.  xxi.  15;  Jo.  xiv.  26;  Is.  xlviii.  17,  cf  Gal.  i. 
12;  1  Jo.  ii.  20);  raising  Christ  fir.  the  dead  (1  Cor.  vi.  14,  cf.  jo.  ii.  19; 
1  Pet.  iii.  18) ;  inspiring  prophets,  etc.  (Heb.  i.  1,  cf.  2  Cor.  xiii.  3  ;  Mk. 
xiii.  11);  supplying  ministers  (Jer.  iii.  15,  cf.  Eph.  iv.  11;  Ac.  xx.  28; 
Jer.  xxvi.  5,  cf.  Mat.  x.  5;  Ac.  xiii.  2).  Salvation,  the  work  of  (2  Thes. 
ii.  13,  14;  Tit.  iii.  4-6;  1  Pet.  i.  2).  Baptism,  in  name  of  (Mat.  xxviii. 
19).     Benediction,  in  name  of  (2  Cor.  xiii.  14). 

IV.  Moral  and  Retigicra  Suggestions.— Men  should  equally 
honour  each  of  the  three  equal  persons  in  the  Blessed  Trinity.     Thought- 


Tones  for  TEAcnF.ns.  231 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Holy  Spirit— PenondHtg. 

lesem  bs  ..i  those  who  apply  to  the  II.  Spirit  the  impersonal  pronoun  it,a.a 
if  He  were  merely  an  influence,  a  Divine  breath,  etc.  Honour  the  Spirit's 
personality,  and  He  will  honour  our  work.  "What  are  our  souls  without 
His  grace  ?  As  dead  as  the  branch  in  wh.  the  sap  circulates  not.  What 
is  our  Church  without  Him  ?  As  parched  and  barren  as  the  fields  without 
heaven's  dew  and  rains.  Where  is  the  hope  of  the  world's  conversion,  or 
of  the  salvation  of  dear-loved  ones,  out  of  Christ  ?  If  the  Spirit  of  God 
not  to  our  aid,  our  eyes  may  fail  with  looking  for  these  much- 
valued  blessings."  (Lewis.)  See  also  "Foundation  of  our  Faith"  183, 
Hare's  Mission  of  Comforter.  "There  are  many  sins  against  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  most  horrible  is  that  of  blaspheming  Him;  for  this  is 
crinu  n  lasa  maj'estatis,  a  sort  of  high  treason  against  the  Majesty  of  Heaven. 
Such  a  grievous  sin  the  scribes  committed  by  a  single  saying;  but,  then, 
they  had  long  been  ripening  into  such  depravity,  and  never  could  have 
bei  n  guilty  of  it  all  at  once.  In  Matt.  ix.  10,  11,  we  may  see  something 
like  the  commencement  of  it.  While  some  chose  to  utter  the  dreadful 
blasphemy,  others,  perhaps,  heard  it  with  an  approving  laugh,  and  thus 
made  themselves  partakers  in  the  horrible  sin."  (Bengel.)  "  You  con- 
stantly hear  men  speak  of  sinning  against  the  Holy  Ghost  as  an  unpardon- 
able thing  ;  but  what  Christ  speaks  of  is  '  blasphemy  '  against  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Surely  these  ought  not  to  be  confounded.  All  blasphemy  is  sin, 
but  all  sin  is  not  blasphemy.  Blaspheming  is  a  sin  of  the  tongue — ex- 
clusively of  the  tongue  ;  and  no  man  can  be  guilty  of  blasphemy  unless  he 
uses  reviling,  insulting,  impious  language.  If  you  examine  carefully  the 
several  accounts  of  the  three  Evangelists,  you  will  observe  it  was  evil  speak- 
ing which  called  forth  Christ's  rebuke.  It  was  because  the  scribes  said  He 
had  an  unclean  spirit  that  they  committed  what  may  not  be  forgiven.  All 
the  sins  which  men  commit  are  capable  of  being  classed  under  three  heads, 
as  being  either  in  thought,  in  word,  or  in  deed  ;  but  blasphemy  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  can  only  be  referred  to  the  second  of  these.  And  no  per- 
son can  have  a  right  to  confound  it  with  the  sin  of  thought,  or  of  deed. 
Hence  we  are  at  loss  to  understand,  and  we  say  so  for  the  comfort  of  those 
who  may  be  harassed  by  tear,  how  any  one  can  be  reckoned  to  have  done 
that  which  Christ  saith  shall  not  be  forgiven  if  he  never  literally  blas- 
phemed the  Holy  Ghost."  {Melville.)  "  It  is  the  men  who  have  succeeded 
in  making  themselves  inaccessible  to  alarm,  so  that  they  can  go  on  com- 
mitting the  part  of  suicide  without  being  disquieted  ;  it  is  these,  we  affirm, 
who  have  well-nigh  reached  the  last  stage  of  sin  against  the  Spirit.  They 
have  so  provoked  that  Spirit  by  continued  and  increased  opposition,  that 
He  has  ceased  to  strive  with  them  ;  and  what  does  this  amount  to  but  to 
having  'quenched  the  Spirit'  ?  And  is  not,  therefore,  the  likelihood  most 
fearful  that  they  will  be  given  over  to  final  impenitence?  If  so,  what 
follows  but  that,  having  'quenched  the  Spirit,'  they  have  done  that 
frightful  thing  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  said,  'It  shall  never  be 
forgiven,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come  ?'  "    {Ibid.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — The  H.  Spirit  is  promised  in  answer  to 
prayer.  Ask.  and  have.  Consider  the  need  of  the  Spirit,  to  lead  to 
repentance,  guide  into  truth,  etc.  If  you  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  ye 
aro  none  of  His. 


232  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Holy  Spirit—  Offices,  etc.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  (.Christian 

I.  Offices  of  H.  Spirit— As  a  Person,  the  H.  Spirit  fills  certain 
offices,  with  each  of  wh.  is  a  defined  work.  He  is  a  Comforter,  a 
Revealer,  a  Remembrancer,  a  Guide,  a  Witness,  etc.  "  The  H.  Spirit 
was  never  absent  f'r.  the  world  or  fr.  the  Church.  He  hovered  over 
creation  in  chaos  (Ge.  i.  2);  'strove'  with  the  antediluvians  (vi.  3); 
led  and  taught  the  patriarchs  and  prophets  (2  Pet.  i.  21) ;  descended 
in  His  fulness  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  was  '  breathed '  on  His  disciples 
by  Him  (Jo.  xx.  22).  And  jet,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  ever 
since,  has  the  H.  Ghost  dwelt  personally  in  His  Church,  so,  in  such 
a  manner  and  degree,  as  He  never  did  before;  according  to  the 
repeated  promises  of  the  Lord."  (Bean  Close.) 

"  Creator  Spirit !  by  whose  aid 
The  world's  foundations  first  were  laid, 
Come,  visit  every  humble  mind  ; 
Come,  pour  Thy  joys  on  all  mankind : 
From  sin  and  sorrow  set  us  free, 
And  make  us  temples  worthy  Thee."     (Dry den.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  H.  Ghost.— As  [Teacher]:  Promiser  (Pr. 
i.  23) ;  as  Spirit  of  wisdom  (Is.  xi.  2,  xl.  13,  14).  Given  in  answer  to 
prayer  (Ep.  i.  16,  17);  to  saints  (Neh.  ix.  20;  1  Cor.  ii.  12,  13).  Need 
of  (1  Cor.  ii.  9,  10).  He  reveals  things -of  God  (1  Cor.  ii.  10,  13);  of 
Christ  (Jo.  xvi.  14) ;  brings  words  of  Christ  to  remembrance  (Jo.  xiv. 
26) ;  directs  in  way  of  godliness  (Is.  xxx.  21 ;  Ez.  xxxvi.  27) ;  teaches 
saints  (Mk.  xiii.  11;  Lu.  xii.  12) ;  ministers  to  teach  (1  Cor.  xii.  8) ;  guides 
into  truth  (Jo.  xiv.  26,  xvi.  13).  Attend  to  (Rev.  ii.  7,  11,  29).  Natural 
man  will  not  recsive  (1  Cor.  ii.  14).  [Comforter]  :  Proceeds  from  Father 
(Jo.  xv.  26).  Given  by  Father  (xiv.  16);  Christ  (Is.  Ixi.  3) ;  through  Christ's 
intercession  (Jo.  xiv.  16).  Sent  in  name  of  Christ  (xiv.  26) ;  by  Christ  from 
Father  (xv.  26,  xvi.  7).  He  gives  joy  to  saints  (Ro.  xiv.  17;  Gal.  v.  22; 
1  Thes.  i.  6) ;  edifies  (Ac.  ix.~31) ;  testifies  of  Christ  (Jo.  xv.  26) ;  imparts 
love  of  God  (Ro.  v.  3-5) ;  hope  (xv.  13  ;  Gal.  v.  5) ;  teaches  (Jo.  xiv.  26) ; 
dwells  with  and  in  saints  (xiv.  17) ;  abides  with  saints  (xiv.  16) ;  known 
by  (xiv.  17).  "World  cannot  receive  (xiv.  17).  [Witness]:  Is  truth 
(1  Jo.  v.  6).  To  be  received  (1  Jo.  v.  6,  9).  Borne  to  Christ  as  Messiah 
(Lu.  iii.  22,  with  Jo.  i.  32,  33) ;  coming  (1  Jo.  v.  6) ;  exalted,  etc.  (Ac.  v. 
31,  32) ;  perfecting  (Heb.  x.  14,  15) ;  foretold  (Jo.  xv.  26) ;  in  heaven 
(1  Jo.  v.  7,  11);  on  earth  (1  Jo.  v.  8).  First  preaching  of  Gospel  confirmed 
(Ac.  xiv.  3,  cf.  Heb.  ii.  4) ;  of  the  apostles,  accompanied  by  (1  Cor.  ii.  4 ; 
1  Thes.  i.  5).  Given  to  saints  on  believing  (Ac.  xv.  8;  1  Jo.  v.  10) ;  to  testify 
to  of  Christ  (Jo.  xv.  26) ;  an  evidence  of  adoption  (Ro.  viii.  16) ;  Christ 
in  them  (1  Jo.  iii.  24) ;  God  in  them  (iv.  13) ;  borne  against  unbelievers 
(Neh.  ix.  30;  Ac.  xxviii.  25-27).  In  ill.  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit, 
He  is  set  forth  under  a  variety  of  Emblems:  Thus,  as  Water  (Jo.  iii.  5, 
vii.  38,  39) :  cleansing  (Ez.  xvi.  9,  xxxvi.  25 ;  Ep.  v.  26 ;  Heb.  x.  22) ; 
fertilizing  (Ps.  i.  3;  Is.  xxvii.  3,  6,  xliv.  3,  4,  lviii.  11);  refreshing 
(Ps.  xlvi.  4 ;  Is.  xii.  17,  18) ;  abundant  (Jo.  vii.  37,  38) ;  freely  given  (Is. 
Iv.  1 ;  Jo.  iv.  14 ;  Rev.  xxii.  17).  Fire  (Mat.  iii.  11) :  purifying  (Is.  iv.  4; 
Mai.  iii.  2,  3)  ;  illuminating  (Ex.  xiii.  21 ;  Ps.  lxxviii.  14);  searching  (Zep. 
i.  12,  cf.  1  Cor.  ii.  10).     Wind  (S.  of  Sol.  iv.  16) :  independent  (Jo.  iii.  8; 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  233 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Holy  Spirit— 0#c«,  etc. 

1  Cor.  xii.  11);  powerful  (1  K.  xix.  11,  cf.  Ac.  ii.  2);  influential  (Jo.  iii.  8) ; 
reviving  (Ez.  xxwii.  9,  10,  1-1).  Oil  (Ps.  xlv.  7) :  healing  (Is.  i.  6 ;  Lu.  x. 
34  ;  Rev.  iii.  18);  comforting  (Is.  lxi.  3  ;  Heb.  i.  9) ;  illuminating  (Zee.  iv. 
2,  3,  11-14;  Mat.  xxv.  3,  4';  1  Jo.  ii.  20,  27);  consecrating  (Ex.  xxix.  7, 
xxx.  30;  Is.  lxi.  1).  Rain  and  Dew  (Ps.  lxxii.  6):  fertilizing  (Ez.  xxxiv. 
26,  27;  Hos.  vi.  3,  x.  12,  xiv.  5);  refreshing  (Ps.  lxviii.  9;  Is.  xviii.  4) ; 
abundant  (Ps.  exxxiii.  3) ;  imperceptible  (2  S.  xvii.  12,  cf.  Mk.  iv.  26-28). 
A  Dove  (Mat.  iii.  16) :  gentle  (Mat.  x.  16,  cf.  Gal.  v.  22).  A  Voice  (Is.  vi.  8) : 
speaking  (Mat.  x.  20)  ;  guiding  (Is.  xxx.  21,  cf.  Jo.  xvi.  13) ;  warning 
(Heb.  iii.  7-11).     A  Seal  (Rev.  vii.  2):  impressing  (Job  xxxviii.  14,  cf. 

2  Cor.  iii.  18);  securing  (Ep.  i.  13,  14,  iv.  30) ;  authenticating  (Jo.  vi.  27; 
2  Cor.  i.  22).     Cloven  Tongues  (Ac.  ii.  3,  6-11). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.  — "  As  oftentimes, 
when  walking  in  a  wood  near  sunset,  though  the  sun  himself  be  hid  by 
the  height  and  bushiness  of  the  trees  around,  yet  we  know  that  he  is  still 
above  the  horizon,  fr.  seeing  his  beams  in  the  open  glades  bef.  us,  illuming 
a  thousand  leaves,  the  several  brightnesses  of  wh.  are  so  many  evidences 
of  his  presence.  Thus  it  is  with  the  h.  Spirit.  He  works  in  secret,  but 
His  work  is  manifest  in  the  lives  of  all  true  Christians.  Lamps  so  heavenly 
must  have  been  lit  fr.  on  high."  {Guesses  at  Truth.)  "As  the  Spirit  of 
holiness,  He  imparts  a  pure  taste;  as  the  Spirit  of  glory,  He  throws  a 
radiance  over  the  character ;  as  the  Spirit  of  life,  He  revives  religion  ;  as 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  He  gives  transparency  to  the  conduct ;  as  the  Spirit 
of  prayer,  He  melts  the  soul  into  devotion ;  and  as  the  Spirit  cf  grace, 
He  imbues  with  benevolence,  and  covers  the  face  of  the  earth  with  the 
•works  of  faith  and  labours  of  love."    (Jenkyn.)     Spirit  of  God  as  ivind  :— 

1.  The  wind  is  of  a  subtle  and  invisible  nature,  passeth  the  power  of 
reason  to  search  it  out.  The  Spirit  is  invisible,  and  works  invisibly, 
and  cannot  be  known  by  the  natural  man   (Jo.  iii.    8 ;    1   Cor.   ii.    14). 

2.  Motion  of  wind  very  quick,  so  the  Holy  Spirit.  3.  The  motion 
of  the  wind  is  various,  blows  with  varying  force  ;  from  various  sources, 
at  various  times,  with  various  effects.  4.  The  wind  works  powerfully, 
irresistibly.  It  tears  up  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  by  the  roots ;  rends 
mountains,  breaks  rocks,  etc.  So  the  Spirit  breaks  hard  hearts  ;  roots  up 
trees  of  unrighteousness  ;  overturns  the  mountains  of  pride  ;  bends  the 
mighty  will ;  conquers  the  lusts  of  flesh,  etc.  5.  Wind  dissolves  clouds, 
purifies  the  air.  The  Spirit  disperses  clouds  of  doubt,  fear,  etc.  6.  The 
wind  is  of  a  most  searching  and  penetrating  nature,  so  is  the  Spirit ;  He 
searches  the  heart  in  all  its  desires,  thoughts,  motives,  affections,  etc.  7. 
The  wind  is  of  great  service  to  the  world,  we  could  not  live  without  it. 
Equally  serviceable  and  essential  is  the  Spirit  for  the  spiritual  world,  and 
there  can  be  no  spiritual  life,  action,  progress,  and  glory  without  Him. 
(Hate's  Ency.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Pray  for  gift  of  the  Spirit,  and  for  His  gifts. 
In  all  labours  for  God  seek  His  aid.  His  presence  and  blessing  are  needed 
to  give  practical  effect  to  every  book  we  read,  every  sermon  we  hear,  every 
lesson  we  impart.  Pray  that  His  presence,  as  your  ally,  may  be  in  ea. 
scholar's  heart.  When  you  see  that  He  is  striving  with  a  soul,  producing 
conviction,  penitence,  etc.,  place  yourself  in  alliance  with  Him,  and  seek 
to  still  further  His  work. 


234 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Angels.] 


TRUE  RELIGION. 


[Christian 


I.  Descriptive,  etc.— Term  :  Word  angel,  in  both  o.  t.  and  n.  t. 
sig.  "  messenger;"  sometimes  =an  ordinary  messenger  (1  S.  xi.  3  ;  Job 
i.  14 ;  Lu.  vii.  24,  ix.  52),  or  a  prophet  (Hag.  i.  33),  or  priest  (Mai.  ii. 
7),  or  Christian  minister  (Rev.  i.  20). 
As  gen.  used,  A.  =  an  order  of  created 
beings  superior  to  man,  of  vast  power, 
knowledge,  dignity.  Some,  having 
sinned,  called  evil  as.  (Jude  6),  others 
pure,  called  "  holy  "  or  "  elect  "  As. 
(Mat.  xxv.  31  ;  1  Tim.  v.  21).  Orders 
;i  OF  A.  Some  ref.  to  delegated  authority 
(Lu.  i.  19) ;  one  to  pre-eminent  autho- 
rity (Ge.  xvi.  7-13,  xiviii.  16),  and 
exacts  homage  (Ex.  iii.  2-6,  xxiii.  20, 
21).  Word  archangel  not  used  in  the 
Bible  as  chief  of  As  ,  but  is  personally 
app.  to  Michael  (I  Thes.  iv.  16;  Jude 
9).  Some  think  he  is  the  Son  of  God 
(Fairbairn).  Orders  of  As.  indicated 
by  terms  "thrones,"  "dominions," 
"  principalities,"  "  powers  "  (Col.  i. 
16,  cf.  Ro.  viii.  38;  Ep.  i.  21). 
Cherubim.  Nature  and  State  :  Spirits  (Ps.  civ. 

4),  but  have  worn  human  form  (Jud.  xiii.  6  ;  Ac.  i.  10).     (For  func- 
tions, etc.,  see  Refs.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Angels.— Creation  (Neh.  ix.  6  j  Col.  i.  16). 
Worship  (Neh.  ix.  6 ;  Phi  ii.  9-11 ;  Heb.  i.  6).  Ministering  spirits  (1  K. 
xix.  5  ;  Ps.  lxviii.  17,  civ.  4  ;  Lu.  xvi.  22  ;  Ac.  xii.  7-11,  xxvii.  23  ;  Heb. 
i.  7,  li)-  Communicate  will  of  God  and  Christ  (Dan.  viii.  16,  17,  ix.  21- 
23,  x.  11,  xii.  6,  7 ;  Mat.  ii.  13,  20 ;  Lu.  i.  19,  28 ;  Ac.  v.  20,  viii.  26,  x.  5, 
xxvii.  23  ;  Rev.  i.  1).  Obedient  (Ps.  ciii.  20  ;  Mat.  vi.  10).  Execute 
purposes  of  God  (Nu.  xxii.  22;  Ps.  ciii.  21  ;  Mat.  xiii.  39-42,  xxviii.  2; 
Jo.  v.  4 ;  Rev.  v.  2).  Execute  judgments  of  God  (2  S.  xxiv.  16  ;  2  K.  xix. 
35 ;  Ps.  xxxv.  5,  6  ;  Ac.  xii.  23  ;  Rev.  xvi.  1).  Praise  God  (Job  xxxviii.  7  ; 
Ps.  cxlviii.  2  ;  Is.  vi.  3  ;  Lu.  ii.  13,  14 ;  Rev.  v.  11,  12,  vii.  11,  12).  Law 
given  by  (Ps.  lxviii.  17  ;  Ac.  vii.  53  ;  Hob.  ii.  2).  Announced  conception 
of  Christ  (Mat.  i.  20,  21  ;  Lu.  i.  31)  ;  His  birth  (Lu.  ii.  10-12)  ;  His  resur- 
rection (Mat.  xxviii.  5-7  ;  Lu.  xxiv.  23)  ;  His  ascension  and  coming  (Ac.  i. 
11)  ;  conception  of  John  Baptist  (Lu.  i.  13,  36).  Minister  to  Christ  (Mat. 
iv.  11  ;  Lu.  xxii.  43 ;  Jo.  i.  51).  Subject  to  Him  (Eph.  i.  21  ;  Col.  i.  16, 
ii.  10  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  22).  Execute  His  purposes  (Mat.  xiii.  41,  xxiv.  31). 
Shall  attend  Hun  at  coming  (Mat.  xvi.  27,  xxv.  31 ;  Mk.  viii.  38 ;  2  Thes. 
i.  7).  Know  and  delight  in  gospel  (Eph.  iii.  9, 10  ;  1  Tim.  iii.  16  ;  1  Pet. 
i.  12).  Ministration  of,  obtained  by  prayer  (Mat.  xxvi.  53 ;  Ac.  xii.  5,  7). 
Rejoice  over  penitence  (Lu.  xv.  7,  10).  Charge  over  saints  (Ps.  xxxiv.  7, 
xci.  11,  12  ;  Dan.  vi.  22;  Mat.  xviii.  10).  Of  diff.  orders  (Is.  vi.  2;  1  The». 
iv.  16  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  22  ;  Jude  9;  Rev.  xii.  7).     Not  to  be  worshipped  (Col. 


TOriCS    FOR   TEACHERS.  235 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Angels; 

ii.  IS;  Rev.  xix.  10,  xxii.  9).  Meek  (2  Pet.  ii.  11;  Judo  9).  Wise  (2 
S.  xiv.  20).  Mighty  (Ps.  ciii.  20).  Holy  (Mat.  xxv.  SI).  Elect  (1  Tim. 
v.  21).     Innumerable  (Job  xxv.  3;  Hob.  xii.  22), 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— When  Savaria 
questioned  Hooker,  shortly  bet.  his  peaceful  death,  what  were  his  con- 
templations, he  replied  "  thai  he  was  meditating  the  number  and  nature 
of  as.,  and  their  blessed  obedience  and  order,  without  wh.  peace  could  not 
be  in  heaven."  {Walton.)  " It  has  been  disputed  whether  ea.  man  has 
his  own  particular  guardian  angel.  There  was  an  anc.  belief  of  this  (Ac. 
xii.  15)  ;  but  we  can  hardly  infer  it  fr.  the  gen.  tenor  of  Scripture.  It  is 
oneof  those  matters  on  wh.  we  may  contentedly  be  ignorant."  (T.  B.  K.) 
(Heb.  i.  14.)  "We  may  suppose  a  troop  of  heavenly  beings  entrusted 
with  the  guardianship  of  one  of  God's  people,  and  when  this  individual  is 
in  circumstances  of  danger,  or  perplexity,  or  sorrow,  we  m;iy  believe  that 
these  attendant  spirits  do  much  towards  removing  obstacles  fr.  his  path, 
directing  him  as  to  the  best  course  to  take,  or  suggesting  material  of  com- 
fort and  of  hope.  We  are  not  able  to  measure,  and  far  less,  as  we  suppose,  to 
overrate,  the  amount  of  benefit  wh.  results  to  Christians  fr.  these  spiritual 
ministrations."     {Melville.) 

"  How  oft  do  they  their  silver  bowers  leave, 
To  come  to  succour  us  that  succour  want ! 
How  oft  do  they  with  golden  pinions  cleave 
The  flitting  skyes,  like  flying  pursuivant, 
Against  fowle  fiends  to  ayd  us  militant  ! 
They  for  us  fight,  they  watch  and  dewly  ward, 
And  their  bright  squadrons  round  about  us  plant ; 
And  all  for  love,  and  nothing  for  reward  ; 
O  why  should  heavenly  God  to  men  have  such  regard !  " 

{Spenser). 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — What  helpers  have  those  who  are  heirs  of 
salvation  ?  Are  we  of  the  number  ?  If  so,  we  shall  presently  be  as  the 
angels.  Let  us  imitate  them  in  doing  the  will  of  God,  and  by  our  present 
willing  service  seek  to  be  their  future  fit  companions. 

"  Man  hath  two  attendant  angels 

Ever  waiting  at  his  side, 
With  him  wheresoe'er  he  wanders, 

Whcresoe'er  his  feet  abide. 
One  to  warn  him  when  he  darkleth, 

And  rebuke  him  if  he  stray  ; 
One  to  leave  him  to  his  nature, 

And  so  let  him  go  his  way. 
Two  recording  spirits,  reading 

All  his  life's  minutest  part, 
Looking  in  his  soul,  and  listening 

To  the  beatings  of  his  heart, 
Each,  with  pen  of  fire  electric, 

Writes  the  good  or  evil  wrought ; 
Writes  with  truth  that  adds  not,  errs  !  Then  the  sad  spirit  seals  it, 
not,  I      And  the  gentler  spirit 

Purpose,action,word,andthought.  \  {Prince.) 


One,  the  Teacher  and  Eeprover, 

Marks  each  heaven-deservingdeed; 
Graves  it  with  the  lightning's  vigour, 

Seals  it  with  the  lightning's  speed; 
For  the  good  that  man  achieveth — 

Good  beyond  an  angel's  doubt — 
Such  remains  for  aye  and  ever, 

And  cannot  be  blotted  out. 
One  severe  and  silent  watcher 

Noteth  every  crime  and  guile, 
Writes  it  with  a  holy  duty, 

Seals  it  not,  but  waits  awhile ; 
If  the  evil-doer  cry  not, 

God,  forgive  me ! '  ere  he  sleeps, 


236  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Satan.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive,  etc. — Term  devil,  fr.  Gk.  6\a/3oAo?  =  one  who 
sets  at  variance,  a  slanderer,  an  accuser.  Hence,  in  the  plural,  it  is 
app.  to  slanderers  (1  Tim.  iii.  11  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  3  ;  Tit.  ii.  3).  Person- 
ality :  Of  this,  no  doubt.  The  D.  cannot  be  an  abstract  principle 
(Ge.  iii.;  Mat.  iv.  1-11  ;  Lu.  xxii.  31  ;  Jo.  xvi.  11;  1  Pet.  v.  8; 
Rev.  xx.  10).  "  He  is  described  as  exercising  power,  influenced  by 
motives,  performing  actions,  receiving  judgment,  suffering  punish- 
ment." {T.B.K.)  Position:  Chief  of  fallen  angels.  Others,  "demons." 
"  It  may  have  been  that  he  was  the  great  mover  in  the  rebellion- 
prompted,  it  is  possible,  by  pride  (1  Tim.  iii.  5) — who  induced  others 
to  range  themselves  on  his  side ;  it  may  be  that  he  was  far  higher 
originally  than  they,  and  has  preserved  his  fatal  pre-eminence  in 
ruin.  We  must,  however,  be  careful  not  to  let  speculation  carry  us 
too  far.  The  Scriptures  do  not  minister  to  curiosity  :  all  their  reve- 
lations are  intended  for  practical  guidance."  (T.  B.  K.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Satan.— Sinned  (2  Pet.  ii.  4  ;  1  Jo.  iii. 
8) ;  cast  out  (Lu.  x.  18)  ;  to  hell  (2  Pet.  ii.  4 ;  Jude  6)  ;  author  of  fall 
(Ge.  iii.  1,  6,  14,  24) ;  tempted  Christ  (Mat.  iv.  3-10) ;  perverts  Scriptures 
(Mat.  iv.  6,  cf.  Ps.  xci.  11,  12)  ;  opp.  God's  work  (Zee.  iii.  1 ;  1  Thes.  ii. 
18) ;  hinders  gospel  (Mat.  xiii.  19  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  4)  ;  works  lies  (2  Thes.  ii.  9  ; 
Rev.  xvi.  14) ;  assumes  form  of  angel  of  light  (2  Cor.  xi.  14).  Unqodh/  are 
children  of  (Mat.  xiii.  38  ;  Acts  xiii.  10;  1  Jo.  iii.  10) ;  follow  (1  Tim.  v. 
IS) ;  do  lusts  of  (Jo.  viii.  44);  possessed  by  (Lu.  xxii.  3 ;  Ac.  v.  3 ;  Eph.  ii.  2) ; 
blinded  (2  Cor.  iv.  4) ;  deceived  (1  K.  xxii.  21,  22;  Rev.  xx.  7,  8) ;  ensnared 
(1  Tim.  iii.  7 ;  2  Tim.  ii.  26)  ;  troubled  (1  S.  xvi.  14)  ;  punished  with 
(Mat.  xxv.  41).  Good  afflicted  by,  as  God  permits  (Job  i.  12,  ii.  4-7) ;  tempted 
(1  Ch.  xxi.  1 ;  1  Thes.  iii.  5)  ;  sifted  by  (Lu.  xxii.  31)  ;  should  resist 
(Jas.  iv.  7  ;  1  Pet.  v.  9)  ;  should  be  armed  against  (Eph.  vi.  11-16)  ; 
should  be  watchful  against  (2  Cor.  ii.  11) ;  overcome  (1  Jo.  ii.  13;  Rev. 
xii.  11) ;  shall  finally  triumph  over  (Ro.  xvi.  20).  Triumph  over  by 
Christ  predicted  (Ge.  iii.  15  ;  Ps.  lxviii.  18)  ;  in  resisting  His  temptations 
(Mat.  iv.  11)  ;  in  casting  out  the  spirits  of  (Lu.  xi.  20,  xiii.  32)  ; 
in  empowering  His  disciples  to  cast  out  (Mat.  x.  1;  Mk.  xvi.  17)  ;  in 
destroying  the  works  of  (1  Jo.  iii.  8) ;  completed  by  His  death  (Col.  ii.  15) ; 
Heb.  ii.  14)  ;  illustrated  (Lu.  xi.  21,  22).  Character  of:  presumptuous  (Job 
i.  6 ;  Mat.  iv.  5,  6)  ;  proud  (1  Tim.  iii.  6)  ;  powerful  (Eph.  ii.  2,  vi.  12)  ; 
wicked  (1  Jo.  ii.  13)  ;  malignant  (Job  i.  9,  ii.  4) ;  subtle  (Ge.  iii.  1,  cf. 
2  Cor.  xi.  3)  ;  deceitful  (2  Cor.  xi.  14  ;  Eph.  vi.  11)  ;  fierce  and  cruel 
(Lu.  viii.  29,  ix.  39,  42 ;  1  Pet.  v.  8)  ;  active  in  doing  evil  (Job  i.  7,  ii.  2)  ; 
cowardly  (Jas.  iv.  7).  The  Apostacy  is  of  (2  Thes.  ii.  9  ;  1  Tim.  iv.  1). 
Shall  be  condemned  at  the  judgment  (Jude  6  ;  Rev.  xx.  10).  Everlasting 
fire  is  prepared  for  (Mat.  xxv.  51).  Compared  to  a  fowler  (Ps  xci.  3) ; 
fowls  (Mat.  xiii.  4) ;  a  sower  of  tares  (Mat.  xiii.  25,  28) ;  a  wolf  (Jo.  x.  12) ; 
a  roaring  lion  (1  Pet.  v.  8). 

III.  Titles  and  Names  of  Satan.— Abaddon  (Rev.  ix.  11) ; 
Accuser  of  brethren  (Rev.  xii.  10);  Adversary  (1  Pet.  v.  8);  Angel  of 
bottomless  pit  (Rev.  ix.  11)  ;  Apollyon  (Rev.  ix.  11)  ;  Beelzebub  (Mat. 
xii.  24) ;  Belial  (2  Cor.  vi.  15) ;  crooked  Serpent  (Is.  xxvii.  1) ;  Dragon 
(Is.  xxvii.  1;  Rev.  xx.  2) ;  Enemy  (Mat.  xiii.  39) ;  evil  Spirit  (1  S.  xvi.  14); 


TOPJCS    FOR   TEACHERS.  237 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Satan. 

Father  of  lies  (Jo.  viii.  44)  ;  great  red  Dragon  (Rev.  xii.  3)  ;  Leviathan 
(2a.  x\\  u  i)  ;  I ,_  :I  (J0t  vm  44)  lying  Spirit  (I  K  xxn  2?.)  Murderer 
(Ju.  viii.  44)  ;  old  Serpent  (Rev.  xii.  9,  xx.  2)  ;  piercing  Serpent  (Is.  xxvii. 
1)  ;  Power  of  darkness  (Col.  i.  13)  ;  Prince  of  this  world  (Jo.  xiv.  30); 
the  devils  (Mat.  xii.  24)  ;  Power  of  air  (Eph.  ii.  2)  ;  Ruler  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world  (Eph.  vi.  12) ;  Satan  (1  Ch.  xxi.  1 ;  Joh  i.  6);  Serpent  (Ge.  iii. 
4,  14  ;  2  Cor.  xi.  3)  ;  Spirit  that  workcth  in  the  children  of  disobedience 
(Eph.  ii.  2)  ;  Tempter  (Mat.  iv.  3;  1  Thes.  iii.  v.);  The  god  of  this  world 
(2  Cor.  iv.  4)  ;  unclean  Spirit  (Mat.  xii.  43)  ;  Wicked  one  (Mat.  xiii.  19). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— This  a  practical 
matter.  We  have  a  powerful,  malignant,  and  unwearied  foe.  We  know 
not  why  he  and  his  are  permitted  to  molest  us.  As  with  our  first  parents, 
he  will  succeed  with  us,  unless  we  use  right  means  to  repel  him.  In 
tempting  and  trying  saints  his  power  limited  (see  case  of  Job  [ii.  6],  and 
ill.  by  ref.  to  the  lions  that  were  chained,  in  Pilgrim's  Progress).  "  He 
who  would  fight  the  d.  with  his  own  weapon  must  not  wonder  if  he  finds 
him  an  over-match."  {South.)  "  The  Devil  is  no  idle  spirit,  but  a  walker, 
a  vagrant,  runagate  walker,  like  Cain,  that  cannot  rest  in  a  place.  I  have 
heard  of  travellers  that  have  seen  many  parts  of  the  world,  but  never  any 
perpetual  peripatetic,  or  universal  walker,  but  Satan,  who  hath  travelled  all 
coasts  and  corners  of  the  earth,  and  would  of  heaven,  too,  if  he  might  be 
admitted  ;  he  is  not  like  St.  George's  statue,  ever  on  horseback,  and  never 
riding ;  but,  as  if  he  were  knight-marshal  of  the  whole  world,  he  is  ever 
walking.  His  motion  is  circular,  and  his  unwearied  steps  know  no  rest;  he 
hath  a  large  and  endless  circuit.  His  walk  is  a  siege,  that  goes  about  the 
fort  to  find  the  weakest  place,  as  easiest  for  battery  (1  Pet.  v.  8).  His  walks 
are  the  circumference,  and  man  the  centre.  The  motive,  cause,  and  main 
intention  of  the  journey  is  to  win  man.  As  he  walks  through  the  streets, 
there  he  throws  a  short  measure,  a  false  balance,  into  the  tradesman's  shop. 
He  steps  into  a  drinking-honse  and  kindles  a  quarrel.  He  shoulders  to  the 
bar,  and  pops  in  a  false  evidence,  a  counterfeit  seal.  He  dares  enter  the 
schools,  and  commence  schisms  and  contentions  ;  nay,  climb  up  into  the 
pulpit  and  broach  sects  and  divisions.  He  travels  no  ground  but,  like  a 
stinking  fog,  or  dying  oppressor,  he  leaves  a  scent  behind  him."    {Adams.) 

"  Satan  is  busy  in  planting — 
Snares  in  thy  substance  ;  snares  attend  thy  want ; 
Snares  in  thy  credit ;  snares  in  thy  disgrace  ; 
Snares  in  thy  high  estate  ;  snares  in  thy  base  ; 
Snares  in  thy  quiet ;  snares  in  thy  commotion ; 
Snares  in  thy  diet ;  snares  in  thy  devotion  ; 
Snares  are  above  thy  head,  and  snares  beneath ; 
Snares  in  thy  sickness ;  snares  are  in  thy  death."    {Quarks.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — Resist  the  c,  and  he  will  flee  fr.  you.  Watch 
against  his  devices.  Trust  in  Jesus,  who  has  vanquished  the  n.  Arm 
yourselves  with  proper  weapons  (Ep.  vi.  12-18).  Keep  up  a  persevering 
resistance.  In  due  time  you  will  triumph  (Ro.  xvi.  20).  (See  Precious 
Mi  medies  against  Satait's  Devices,  book  i.  10).  Avoid  his  favourite  haunts — 
theatres,  public-houses,  race-courses,  etc. 

Vol.  II.— 16 


238  .     TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Man— Physical.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive.— 1   Term:    4  Heb.  words  =  man  in  A.  v.     (1) 

dddm  —  reddish,  brown  (the  M.  whom  God  first  created)  =  M.  gener- 
ically,  the  race.  2.  Isli,  fem.  ishah,  inclu.  prob.  notion  of  life.  3.  Geber 
=  strong.  4.  MetMn  =  mortals.  2.  Creation:  q.v.  (Ge.  i.  27;  Is. 
xlv.  12)  "When  we  are  asked,  in  the  total  absence  of  all  historical 
evidence,  in  direct  cpp.  to  the  teaching  of  Scripture,  and  on  the 
strength  of  conjectures  on  the  date  of  two  or  three  skulls,  or  some 
hundreds  of  rudely  shaped  flint-heads  in  the  Valley  of  the  Somme,  to 
add  ten  or  twenty  thousand  years  to  these  ages  of  moral  gloom  and 
darkness,  our  heart  and  understanding,  if  not  perverted  and  ossified 
by  false  science,  recoil  instinctively  fr.  the  monstrous  demand  .  .  . 
such  speculators  degrade  the  course  of  Providence  into  a  moral  chaos, 
deeper  and  more  melancholy  than  the  natural  confusion  out  of  wh. 
the  present  world  arose."  (Birk's  Origin  of  Man,  86.)  But  bones  of  ex- 
tinct animals  have  been  found  with  traces  of  men.  Hence  the  assump- 
tion that  man  is  coeval  with  them.  "Where  traces  of  M.  are  met 
with,  many  of  the  bones  are  broken.  The  use  of  the  bones  in  the 
chase,  and  in  the  manufacture  of  flint  implements,  is  ill.  by  the  habits 
of  some  of  the  Esquimaux  tribes  even  in  our  day.  Sir  E.  Belcher 
informs  us  that  they  use  pieces  of  horn  in  the  preparation  of  their  flint 
weapons.  Is  it  not  in  the  highest  degree  probable  that  these  bones 
of  huge  mammals  would  be  eagerly  sought  for  by  the  tribes  who  have 
left  traces  of  their  presence  in  gravel  heaps  and  in  caves  ?  Instead, 
then,  of  holding  that  the  animals  lived  at  the  same  time  as  the  man, 
it  would  be  much  more  in  keeping  with  the  facts  bef.  us  to  hold  that 
men  had  found  these  bones,  and  had  taken  them  to  the  places  to  wh. 
they  resoited."  (D.  B.  N.  S.,  i.  527,  52S.  See  also  Brit.  Quar.  1863, 
Oct.,  368).     Created  when  the  earth  had  been  prepared  as  his  home. 

"  A  creature  of  a  more  exalted  land 
Was  wanting  yet,  and  then  was  man  designed, 
Conscious  of  thought,  of  more  capacious  breast, 
For  empire  formed,  and  fit  to  rule  the  rest. 
Thus,  while  the  whole  creation  downward  bend 
Their  sight,  and  to  their  earthly  mother  tend, 
Man  looks  aloft ;  and,  with  erected  eyes, 
Beholds  his  own  hereditary  skies." 

(Ovid,  quot.  in  D.  £.  If.  S.,  i.  82.) 

II.  Unity  of  Race. — (Ac.  xvii.  26):  Some  (as  Poole,  Gen.  of  Earth  and 
Man  ;  McCausland,  Adam  and  Adamite)  argue  that  in  the  beginning  several 
distinct  races  were  created ;  and  think  they  are  warranted  by  the  Scrip- 
tures (but  see  D.  B.  N.  S.,  i.  539,  ff. ;  Prichard,  Varieties  of  Human  Species; 
Lawrence,  On  Man ;  etc.)  There  is  good  evidence  for  believing  that  present 
varieties  may  he  attributed  to  climatic  and  other  influences.  Jews,  for 
example,  are  known  to  be  desc.  fr.  Abraham,  yet  are  found  of  dif.  com- 
plexions in  dif.  parts  of  world.  Extraordinary  peculiarities  of  children 
born  of  parents  in  no  wise  peculiar  are  also  known  to  be  inherited  by 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS.  239 

Theology.]  TRUE   RELIGION.  [Man- Physical. 

their  offspring.  [See  Pliilos.  Trans,  vii.  for  ace.  of  "  Porcupine  man,"  whoso 
children  resembled  himself,  on  wh.  fact  a  writer  in  Dublin   Univer.  Mag. 

observes:  "  It  appears,  therefore,  that  a  race  of  people  might  be  prepay  1.  d 
by  this  individual  as  dif.  fr.  other  men  as  an  African  is  fr.  an  English- 
man ;  and  that  if  this  should  have  happened  in  any  former  age,  and  the 
accidental  origin  had  been  forgotten,  tnere  would  he  the  same  objections 
;:g.  their  being  derived  fr.  the  same  common  stock  with  others.  It  must, 
therefore,  be  admitted  possible  that  the  diffs.  now  subsisting  betw.  one 
part  of  mankind  and  another  may  have  been  produced  by  some  accidental 
cause,  long  aft.  the  earth  had  been  peopled  by  one  common  progenitor." 
Gratian  du  Pont  (Les  Controverses  des  Sexes)  says,  as  man  is  to  rise  at 
the  resurrection  with  the  same  body,  though  the  limbs  are  ever  so  far 
asunder,  consequently  Adam  retakes  the  rib  which  formed  Eve ;  then,  of 
necessity,  Eve  becomes  a  rib,  and  ceases  to  be  a  woman :  and  so  it  will 
happen  to  the  sex  in  general,  as  every  woman  represents  Eve,  and  every 
man  Adam.  Hence  he  concludes  the  female  non-entity,  as  does  the 
reasoning  also  of  Antoinette  Bourignon.  Several  learned  Rabbins  believed 
and  asserted  that  Adam  was  created  double,  i.  e.  with  both  sexes,  male  on 
one  side,  and  female  on  the  other  ;  and  that  both  these  bodies  were  joined 
together  by  the  shoulders,  the  heads  looking  on  places  directly  opposite, 
like  the  heads  of  Janus  ;  and  that  when  God  made  Eve,  he  only  divided 
the  body  into  two  !  Moreri,  in  his  Bit  tionnaire  Historique,  assures  us 
that  Adam  was  a  great  philosopher  ;  that  he  had  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
sciences,  and  chiefly  of  astrology,  of  which  he  taught  his  children  divers 
fine  secrets.  He  also  adds  that  Adam  engraved  some  observations  that 
he  had  made  on  the  course  of  the  stars,  on  two  several  tables.  This  he 
savs  on  the  authority  of  Josephus,  where  it  is  not,  however,  to  be  found] 

III.  Bible  References.— Creation  (Pr.  xvi.  4,  cf.  Rev.  iv.  11),  (Ge. 
ii.  5,  cf.  7),  (Ge.  i.  27;  Is.  xlv.  12),  (Jo.  i.  3;  Col.  i.  16),  (Job  xxxiii.  4), 
(Ge.  i.  26),  (31),  (Deu.  iv.  32 ;  Job  xx.  4),  (Ge.  ii.  7  ;  Job  xxxiii.  6) ;  Ma 
body  (Mat.  iv.  25;  Ps.  exxxix.  14;  1  Cor.  xv.  47);  position  (Ps.  viii.  5,  cf. 
He'b.  ii.  7),  (1  Cor.  xv.  39),  (Mat.  vi.  26,  x.  31,  xii.  12) ;  mortality  (Is.  xl. 
6-8  ;  1  Pet.  i.  24),  (Job  vii.  1,  xiv.  1 ;  1  Ch.  xxix.  15 ;  Ps.  xc.  10 ;  Ecc. 
viii.  8). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— God's  love  and  wisdom 

ill.  by  His  relation  to  external  universe  (see  Chalmers  and  Kidd's  Bridg. 
Treat).  Other  creatures  furnish  him  with  clothing  and  food.  His  frail 
body  the  temporal  habitation  of  an  immortal  spirit.  "  The  Lord  did  not 
hesitate  to  take  on  Him  man's  body  ;  for  He  knew  that  at  first  it  was  not, 
and  that  in  the  end  it  will  not  be,  foreign  to  Him.  Can  any  honour  ex- 
ceed the  honour  wh.  has  been  conferred  upon  the  human  body  ?  Can  any 
powers  exceed  its  powers  ?  Can  any  glory  exceed  the  glory  with  wh.  it  is 
invested  ?  What  wonder  that  the  Holy  Ghost  should  beseech  men  to  pre- 
sent their  bodies  a  living  sacrifice  to  God  ?  Know  ye  not  that  your  bodies 
are  the  members  of  Christ  ?"   [Bahford.) 

V.  Practical  Hints.— Glorify  God  in  your  body  and  spirit,  wh.  are 
His.  Each  part  of  body  needful  to  rest ;  so  of  the  Church — the  body  of 
Christ  (1  Cor.  xii.  12-27).  The  whole  suffers  by  injury  to  any  part;  so 
the  Church.  Keep  your  bodies  under.  Crucify  the  flesh.  Let  the  mind 
and  conscience  rule  the  body. 


240  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Han— Spiritual.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  The  Soul:  Definition. — "  That  sentient,  rational,  conscious, 
accountable  part  or  principle  in  man  wh.  distinguishes  his  life  fr. 
mere  animal  existence."  (T.  B.K.)  Faculties  :  intellectual—  all  those 
wh.  in  dif.  ways  are  concerned  in  the  gen.  function  of  knowing,  i.  e., 
reason,  imagination,  &c.  Emotional  =  all  those  feelings  wh.  attend 
the  exercise  of  other  faculties.  Witt  (see  Conscience).  (Hodge.)  Immor- 
tality :  One  strong  proof  is  the  universality  of  belief  oi  immortality. 
"In  legitimacy  of  conclusion,  strong  and  unexceptionable  is  the 
argument  fr.  universality  of  belief  for  the  continuance  of  our  per- 
sonal being  aft.  death.  The  bull-calf  butts  with  smooth  and  un- 
armed brow.  Throughout  all  animated  nature,  of  ea.  characteristic 
organ  and  faculty  there  exists  a  pre-assurance,  an  instinctive  and 
practical  anticipation;  and  no  pre-assurance  common  to  a  whole 
species  does  in  any  instance  prove  delusive.  All  other  prophecies  of 
nature  have  their  exact  fulfilment ;  in  every  other  ungrafted  word  of 
promise  nature  is  found  true  to  her  word.  And  is  it  in  her  noblest 
creature  that  she  tells  her  first  lie  ?  The  merest  naturalist,  to  whom 
no  light  of  revelation  had  been  vouchsafed,  might  ask  the  question." 
(Coleridge.)  See  also  Foundations  of  our  Faith,  221.  "  Does  this 
soul  within  me,  this  spirit  of  thought  and  love  and  infinite  desire, 
dissolve  as  well  as  the  body  ?  Has  nature,  who  quenches  our  bodily 
thirst,  who  rests  our  weariness,  and  perpetually  encourages  us  to 
endeavour  onwards,  prepared  no  food  for  this  appetite  of  immortality  ?  " 
(Leigh  Hunt.)  The  analogy  of  nature  supplies  another  argument  for 
a  future  life.  (See  Butler's  Analogy.)  The  nature  of  the  s.  furnishes 
another  argument/  and  the  moral  sense  another. 

"  If  every  rule  of  equity  demands 
That  vice  and  virtue  from  th'  Almighty's  hands 
Should  due  rewards  and  punishments  receive, 
And  this  by  no  means  happens  whilst  we  live, 
It  follows  that  a  time  will  surely  come 
"When  each  shall  meet  their  well-adjusted  doom ; 
Then  shall  this  scene,  which  now  to  human  sight 
Seems  so  unworthy  wisdom  infinite, 
A  system  of  consummate  skill  appear, 
And,  every  cloud  dispersed,  be  beautiful  and  clear." 

(Soame  Jennyns.) 
Bible  Refs.  to  S. :  Nature.— (Lu.  xii.  20  ;  Ac.  xix.  22  ;  1  Pet.iv. 
19) ;  (Pr.  xviii.  18  ;  xx.  17 ;  1  Cor.  ii.  11) ;  (Ep.  i.  18,  iv.  18) ;  (1  Cor.  ix.  17  ; 
2  Pet.  i.  21) ;  (1  Ch.  xxix.  3  ;  Col.  iii.  2)  ;  (Ro.  ii.  15  ;  1  Tim.  iv.  2) ;  (Ge. 
xli.  9  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  2).  Whatever  human  hopes,  guessings,  or  arguments, 
Scripture  is  clear  on  the  soul's  immortality  (Ge.  v.  24,  cf.  Heh.  xi.  5  ;  2  S. 
xii.  23  ;  2  K.  ii.  11 ;  Job  xiv.  13  ;  Ps.  xxi.  4,  xlix.  8,  cxxi.  8  ;  Ecc.  iii.  21, 
xii.  7  ;  Is.  xxv.  8  ;  Mat.  x.  28,  xvi.  26  ;  Lu.  ix.  25,  xx.  36  ;  Ro.  vi.  23  ;  1 
Cor.  xv.  53  ;  1  Tim.  iv.  8  ;  2  Tim.  i.  10 ;  Tit.  i.  2  ;  1  Jo.  ii.  25). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.  — "  God,  saith 
Chrysostom,    hath   given  a  man  two  eyes  ;  if  he  lose  one,  he  hath  an- 


TOriCS    FOIi    TEACHERS.  241 

Theology. J  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Man—  Spiritual. 

other ;  but  he  hath  but  one  soul ;  if  he  lose  that,  it  is  irrecoverable;  it  can 
never  be  made  up  again."  ( IFatson.)  "  Our  soul  is  in  our  body  as  the 
bird  is  in  the  shell,  ivh.  soon  breaks,  and  the  bird  flies  out;  the  shell  of 
the  body  breaking,  the  soul  flies  into  eternity."     {Ibid.) 

"  Still  seems  it  strange  that  thou  should'st  live  for  ever  ? 
Is  it  less  strange  that  thou  should'st  live  at  all."     (Young.) 
"  "We  wish  for  immortality.     The  thought  of  annihilation  is  horrible  ; 
even  to  conceive  it  is  almost  impossible.     The  wish  is  a  kind  of  argument ; 
it  is  not  likely  that  God  would  have  given  all  men  such  a  feeling,  if  He 
had  not  meant  to  gratify  it."     (F.  W.  Robertson.)     "  Little,  indeed,  does 
it  concern  us,  in  this  our  mortal  stage,  to  inquire  whence  the  spirit  hath 
come  ;  but  of  what  infinite  concern  is  the  consideration  whither  it  is  going  ! 
Surely  such  a  consideration  demands  the  study  of  a  life."     (JSouthey.) 
"  The  soul,  secured  in  her  existence,  smiles 

At  the  drawn  dagger,  and  defies  its  point. 

The  stars  shall  fade  away,  the  sun  himself 

Grow  dim  with  age,  and  Nature  sink  in  years  ; 

But  thou  shalt  flourish  in  immortal  youth, 

Unhurt  amidst  the  war  of  elements, 

The  wreck  of  matter,  and  the  crush  of  worlds."  (Addison.) 
"  In  what  is  our  proof  of  immortality  ?  Not  the  analogies  of  nature 
altogether  ;  the  resurrection  of  nature  from  a  winter  grave,  or  the  eman- 
cipation of  the  butterfly.  Not  even  the  testimony  of  the  fact  of  the  risen 
dead ;  for  who  does  not  know  how  shadowy  and  unsubstantial  these 
intellectual  proofs  become  in  unspiritual  frames  of  mind  ?  No  ;  the  life 
of  the  spirit  is  the  evidence.  Heaven  begun  is  the  living  proof  that  makes 
the  heaven  to  come  credible.  •  Christ  in  you  is  the  hope  of  glory.'  It  is 
the  eagle  eye  of  faith  which  penetrates  the  grave,  and  sees  far  into  the 
tranquil  things  of  death.  He  alone  can  (properly)  believe  in  immortality 
who  feels  the  resurrection  in  him  already."  (F.  W.  Robertson?)  "  The 
unb  liever's  creed  ; — I  believe  that  there  is  no  God,  but  that  matter  is  God, 
and  God  is  matter ;  and  that  it  is  no  matter  whether  there  is  any  God  or 
not.  I  believe,  also,  that  the  world  was  not  made  ;  that  the  world  made 
itself ;  that  it  had  no  beginning  ;  that  it  will  last  for  ever,  world  without 
end.  I  believe  that  man  is  a  beast ;  that  the  soul  is  the  body,  and  the 
body  is  the  soul ;  and  that  after  death  there  is  neither  body  nor  soul.  I 
believe  there  is  no  religion  ;  that  natural  religion  is  the  only  religion, 
and  that  all  religion ;  I  believe  not  in  Moses  ;  I  believe  in  the  first 
philosophy:  I  believe  not  in  the  Evangelists;  I  believe  in  Chubb,  Collins, 
Toland,  Tindal,  Morgan,  Mandeville,  Woolston,  Hobbes,  Shaftesbury ; 
I  believe  in  Lord  Bolingbroke  ;  I  believe  not  in  St.  Paul.  I  believe  not  in 
revelation  ;  I  believe  in  tradition  ;  I  believe  in  the  Talmud  ;  T  believe  in 
the  Alcoran  ;  I  believe  not  in  the  Bible  ;  I  believe  in  Socrates  ;  I  believe 
in  Confucius ;  I  believe  in  Sancomathan ;  I  believe  in  Mohammed ;  I 
believe  not  in  Christ.     Lastly,  I  believe  in  all  unbelief." 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Future  state  determined  by  present  character 
and  relations.  He  that  is  righteous,  etc.,  righteous,  etc.  still.  If  the  s.  be 
lost,  what  advantage  to  us  will  be  all  other  gains  ?  The  salvation  of  s.  a 
present  and  personal  consideration.  If  the  s.  is  lost,  all  is  lost  that  is  worth 
having — all  glorious  things  that  dying  would  possess  us  of.  Is  your  s. 
eaved  ?    It  may  be  ;  Christ  died  for  you. 


242  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Fall  of  Man]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Descriptive.— (See  Adam,  Eden,  Serpent,  etc.,  C.  JD.  O.  T., 
4-7).  "Adam,  a  rational  creature,  subject  to  law  and  will  of  God. 
He  was  bound  by  all  moral  laws  and  i-ules,  and  thereby  obliged  to 
love,  honour,  worship  his  Creator,  and  love  every  creature  of  kind 
with  himself,  and  be  merciful  to  those  in  subjection.  God  pleased 
to  try  him  by  a  positive  law  ;  this  a  trial  of  his  virtue.  There  can- 
not be  conceived  any  reason  why  he  should  transgress."  {Lardncr, 
x.  219.)  "  Sin  itself  bears  witness  to  the  originally  diff.  and  higher 
destiny  and  existence  of  man,  since  even  in  sin  he  seeks  out  for 
himself  not  evil,  but  rather  good—  pleasure,  happiness,  joy." 
{Augustine.)  "Yea,  verily,  thou  art  not  here  below  in  thy  rightful 
place  or  order.  A  single  good  heart-impulse  wh.  tends  to  raise 
thee,  a  single  hour  of  inward  unrest,  proves  this  to  thee  more 
clearly  than  all  the  arguments  of  philosophers  can  ever  prove  the 
converse."  {Martin.)  "  Amongst  every  people  possessing  traditions 
and  a  literature  of  any  kind  we  meet  with  legends  of  a  '  golden  age,' 
as  the  Gk.  and  Rom.  authors  call  it,  when  the  earth  brought  forth 
spontaneously  whatever  its  inhabitants  required ;  when  the  gods 
walked  among  men,  were  beloved  by  them,  and  held  converse  with 
them ;  when  hearts  were  still  pure  and  innocent,  not  desecrated  by 
vice  or  passion  ;  when  peace  and  joy  everywhere  prevailed,  and  the 
wolf  pastured  beside  the  lamb,  and  did  him  no  injury."  {Stahelin  ; 
for  heathen  traditions  of  Fall  see  K.  D.  B.  I.,  i.  51.)'  "The  world  was 
made  for  man,  and  man  for  God.  The  upper  link  gave  way,  and  all 
that  depended  on  it  fell.  Man  rebelled,  and  carried  away  fr.  its  alle- 
giance a  subject  world."  {Arnot)  "  When  man  sinned,  then,  in  the 
lang.  of  our  great  poet,  'all  nature  felt  the  wound.'  Man  was  the 
highest  note  in  the  scale  of  creation,  and  when  he  descended,  through 
all  nature  there  followed  a  corresponding  reduction.  It  became  sub- 
ject to  vanity,  not  willingly,  not  by  an  act  of  its  own  will,  but  by 
reason  of  him  who  subjected  the  same — by  reason,  that  is,  of  man 
(Ro.  viii.  20.)"  {Trench.)  "The  harp  of  Eden,  alas  !  is  broken. 
Unstrung,  and  mute,  an  exiled  race  have  hung  it  on  the  willows ; 
ana  Iehabod  stands  written  now  in  the  furrows  of  man's  guilty  fore- 
head and  on  the  wreck  of  his  ruined  estate.  Some  things  remain 
unaffected  by  the  blight  of  sin,  as  God  made  them  for  Himself ;  the 
flowers  have  lost  neither  their  bloom  nor  their  fragrance  ;  the  rose 
smells  as  sweet  as  it  did  when  bathed  in  the  dews  of  paradise  ;  and 
seas  and  seasons,  obedient  to  their  original  impulse,  roil  on  as  of  old 
to  their  Maker's  glory.  But  from  man,  alas  !  how  is  the  glory  de- 
parted !  Look  at  his  body  when  the  light  of  the  eye  is  quenched, 
and  the  countenance  is  changed,  and  the  noble  form  is  festering  in 
corruption — mouldering  into  the  dust  of  death !  Or,  change  still 
more  hideous,  look  at  the  soul !  The  spirit  of  piety  dead,  the  mind 
under  a  dark  eclipse,  hatred  to  God  rankling  in  that  once  loving 
heart,  it  retains  but  some  vestiges  of  its  original  grandeur,  just 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHEES.  243 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Fall  of  Man. 

enough,  like  the  beautiful  tracery  and  noble  arches  of  a  ruined  pile, 
to  make  us  feel  what  glory  once  was  there,  and  now  is  gone." 
(Guthrie.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  the  Fall.— By  disobe.  of  Adam  (Go.  Hi. 
6,  11,  12  ;  Eo.  v.  12,  15,  19).  Temptation  of  devil  (Ge.  iii.  1-5;  2  Cor.  xi. 
3  ;  1  Tim.  ii.  14).  J/r/;/,  in  consequence,  made  in  image  of  Adam  (Ge.  v. 
3,  <•/'.  1  Cor.  xv.  48,  49)  ;  born  in  sin  (Job  xv.  14,  xxv.  4;  Ps.  Ii.  5;  Is. 
xlviii.  8 ;  Jo.  iii.  6}  ;  child  of  the  devil  (Mat.  xiii.  38  ;  Jo.  viii.  44  ;  1  Jo. 
iii.  8,  10)  ;  of  wrath  (Ep.  ii.  3);  evil  in  heart  (Ge.  vi.  5,  viii.  21 ;  Jer.  xvi. 
12;  Mat.  xv.  19);  blinded  (Ep.iv.18);  corrupt  in  ways  (Ge.vi.12;  Ps.x.5; 
Eo.  iii.  12-16)  ;  depraved  (Ro.  viii.  5-7 ;  Ep.  iv.  17 ;  Col.  i.  21  ;  Tit.  i.  15)  ; 
without  understanding  (Ps.  xiv.  2,  3,  cf.  Ro.  iii.  11,  i.  31) ;  rejects  things  of 
God  (1  Cor.  ii.  14)  ;  comes  short  of  God's  glory  (Rom.  iii.  23)  ;  defiled  in 
conscience  (Tit.  i.  15  ;  Heb.  x.  22) ;  intractable  (Job  xi.  12)  ;  estranged 
(Ge.  iii.  8 ;  Ps.  lviii.  3 ;  Ep.  iv.  18 ;  Col.  i.  21)  ;  in  bondage  to  sin  (Ro.  vi. 
19,  vii.  5,  23;  Gal.  v.  17;  Tit.  iii.  3) ;  to  the  devil  (2  Tim.  ii.  26;  Heb.  ii. 
14,  15) ;  constant  in  evil  (Ps.  x.  5  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  14) ;  guilty  (Ge.  iii.  7,  8,  10 ) ; 
unrighteous  (Ec.  vii.  20;  Ro.  iii.  10);  abominable  (Job  xv.  16;  Ps.  xiv.  3); 
turnetl  to  bis  own  way  (Is.  liii.  6)  ;  loves  darkness  (Jo.  iii.  19) ;  corrupt 
(Ro.  iii.  13,  14) ;  destructive  (iii.  15,  16)  ;  without  fear  of  God  (iii.  18) ; 
depraved  (Ge.  vi.  5  ;  Ro.  vii.  18)  ;  dead  (Ep.  ii.  1  ;  Col.  ii.  13V  Men 
partake  of  effects  of  (1  K.  viii.  46  ;  Gal.  iii.  22  ;  1  Jo.  i.  8,  v.  19).  Punished 
by  banishment  fr.  paradise  (Ge.  iii.  24) ;  labour  and  sorrow  (Ge.  iii.  16, 
19  ;  Job  v.  6,  7);  death  (Ge.  iii.  19  ;  Ro.  v.  12  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  22)  ;  eternal 
death  (Job  xxi.  30;  Ro.  v.  18,  21,  vi.  23);  not  remedied  by  man  (Pr. 
xx.  9;  Jer.  ii.  22,  xiii.  23);  remedy  provided  by  God  (Ge.  iii.  15;  Jo.  hi. 
16). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—   Vain  are  all  our 

cavils,  the  fact  of  our  being  involved  in  Adam's  guilt  is  plainly  stated  in 
the  Scriptures.  No  other  doctrine  will  explain  the  suffering,  the  misery, 
the  death,  wh.  fill  the  world.  Even  in  com.  life  we  continually  see  a 
similar  principle  established.  Children  are  every  day  involved  in  the 
moral  consequences  of  their  parents'  guilt.  How  often  do  states  make 
covenants  wh.  bind  the  next  generation !  How  often  do  fathers  sign  deeds 
wh.  will  affect  their  children's  children !  How  many  an  ungodly  man, 
who  would  scoff  at  the  doctrine  of  original  sin,  yet  acts  on  the  same 
principle,  and  does  all  he  can,  by  intemperance,  extravagance,  and  folly, 
to  ruin  his  children  in  body  and  in  soul !  Thds  is  the  soul  in  danger 
even  fr.  man's  birth,  by  being  involved  in  the  guilt  of  Adam's  fall." 
(Hambleton.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — 1.  If  Adam,  who  was  made  upright,  was 
overcome  by  temptation,  we  ought  to  be  upon  our  guard.  2.  The  fall  of 
our  first  parents  is  not  only  an  argument  to  watch  ourselves,  but  also  to 
watch  over  others  (2  Cor.  xi.  2,  3).  3.  The  sentence  pronounced  by  God 
was  just,  tempered  with  mercy.  "  All  dishonourable  sentiments  of  God, 
as  unmerciful,  illiberal,  rigid,  and  inexorable,  except  upon  strict  terms  of 
justice,  are  as  false  as  those  here  suggested  by  Satan ;  and  if  hearkened 
to,  will  have  a  bad  influence  upon  us,  and  lead  us  astray  fr.  Him  who  is  the 
Boui-ce  of  our  happiness."    (Lardner.) 


244  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Eepentance.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definition,  etc. — Among  the  Gk.  words  =  R.  are  fxera-fxAofxai, 
simply  changing  one's  mind,  or  care,  or  purpose  (Mat.  xxi.  29  ;  Heb. 
vii.  21),  or  with  the  idea  of  regret,  sorrow,  remorse  (Mat.  xxviii.  3,  of 
Judas  ;  2  Cor.  vii.  8) — fitravoea)  =  to  have  an  after- view  ;  hence,  to 
change  one's  view,  purpose,  mind  :  in  a  religious  sense,  implying  pious 
sorrow  for  sin  and  unbelief,  and  the  turning  fr.  them  to  God. 
{Robinson's  Lex.  to  N.  T.)  R.  does  not  expiate  evil,  but  will  welcome 
the  satisfaction  and  atonement  made  by  Je^us  Christ.  Hence,  gospel 
message  is  described  (Ac.  xx.  21,  ef.  ii."38,  iii.  19).  God  is  sometimes 
said  to  R.  (Ge.  vi.  6  ;  ]  S.  xv.  11),  not  as  feeling  regret  as  if  He  had 
taken  a  false  step  (Nu.  xxiii.  19),  but  because  He  seems  to  alter  His 
course  towards  the  disobedient  and  unfaithful.  Remorse  (as  of  Judas) 
not  repentance.  "Remorse  not  only  turns  God  and  His  creation 
against  us,  but  turns  us  against  ourselves,  makes  the  soul  act  like  the 
serpent,  wh.  stings  itself  to  death."     (Thomas.) 

"  So  writhes  the  mind  Remorse  has  riven, 
Unfit  for  earth,  undoomed  for  heaven, 
Darkness  above,  despair  beneath, 
Around  it  flame,  witbin  it  death."     (Byron.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  R.— Commanded  by  God  (Ac.  xvii.  30).  By  Christ 
(Rev.  ii.  5,  16,  iii.  3).  Given  (Ac.  xi.  18;  2  Tim.  ii.  25).  Christ  calls 
sinners  to  (Mat.  ix.  13).  Exalted  to  give  (Ac.  v.  31).  By  operation  of  H. 
Ghost  (Zee.  xii.  10).  Called  repentance  unto  life  (Ac.  xi.  18).  Unto  sal- 
vation (2  Cor.  vii.  10).  We  should  be  led  to,  by  longsufFering  of  God  (Ge.  vi. 
3  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  20 ;  2  Pet.  iii.  9) ;  goodness  of  God  (Ro.  ii.  4) ;  chastisements 
of  God  (1  K.  viii.  47;  Rev.  iii.  19).  Godly  sorrow  works  (2  Cor.  vii.  10). 
Necessary  to  pardon  (Ac.  ii.  38,  iii.  19,  viii.  22).  Conviction  necessary  to 
(1  K.  viii.  38;  Ac.  ii.  37,  38).  Preached  by  Christ  (Mat.  iv.  17;  Mk.  i. 
15) ;  John  Baptist  (Mat.  iii.  2) ;  apostles  (Mk.  vi.  12  ;  Ac.  xx.  21) ;  in 
name  of  Christ  (Lu.  xxiv.  47).  Not  repented  of  (2  Cor.  vii.  10).  Present  the 
season  (Ps.  xcv.  7, 8,  cf.  Heb.  iii.  7,  8,  iv.  7).  Joy  in  heaven  over  (Lu.  xv. 
7,  10).  Ministers  should  rejoice  over  (2  Cor.  vii.  9).  Fruits  (Dan.  iv.  27  ; 
Mat.  iii.  8 ;  Ac.  xxvi.  20).  Should  be  accompanied  by  humility  (2  Co.  vii. 
14  ;  Jas.  iv.  9,  10) ;  shame  (Ezr.  ix.  6-15  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  19;  Ez.  xvi.  61,  63  ; 
Dan.  ix.  7,  8)  ;  self-abhorrence  (Job  xlii.  6) ;  confession  (Lev.  xxvi.  40 ; 
Job  xxxiii.  27)  ;  faith  (Mat.  xxi.  32  ;  Mk.  i.  15  ;  Ac.  xx.  21)  ;  prayer  (1 
K.  viii.  33  ;  Ac.  viii.  22)  ;  conversion  (iii.  19,  xxvi.  20) ;  turning  from 
sin  (2  Ch.  vi.  26)  ;  from  idolatry  (Ez.  xiv.  6;  1  Thes.  i.  9) ;  greater  zeal  (2 
Cor.  vii.  11).  Exhortations  (Ez.  xiv.  6,  xviii.  30  ;  Ac.  ii.  38,  iii.  19).  Un- 
godly averse  to  (Jer.  viii.  6  ;  Mat.  xxi.  32)  ;  not  led  to,  by  the  judgments 
(Rev.  ix.  20,  21,  xvi.  9)  ;  miracles  (Lu.  xvi.  30,  31) ;  neglect  (Rev. 
ii.  21) ;  condemned  for  neglecting  (Mat.  xi.  20).  Danger  of  neglecting 
(Mat.  xi.  20-24  ;  Lu.  xiii.  3,  5  ;  Rev.  ii.  22).  Judgment  for  neglect  (Rev. 
ii.  5,  16).     Apostates  (Heb.  vi.  4-6). 

III.  IUustrations  of  R.— (Lu.  xv.  18-21,  xviii.  13).  Examples  of 
true  :  Israelites  (Jud.  x.  15,  16) ;  David  (2  S.  xii.  13)  ;  Manasseh  (2  Ch. 
xxxiii.  12,  13)  ;  Job  (Job  xlii.  6)  ;  Nineveh  (Jon.  iii.  5-8  ;  Mat.  xii.  41)  ; 
Peter  (Mat.  xxvi.  75) ;  Zaccheus  (Lu.  xix.  8)  ;  thief  on  the  cross  (Lu.  xxiii. 
40,  41)  ;  Corinthians  (2  Cor.  vii.  9).  Examples  of  false ;  Saul  (1  S,  xv, 
24-30) ;  Ahab  (1  K.  xxi.  27-29) ;  Judas  (Mat.  xxxvii,  3-5), 


TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS.  245 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Repentance. 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  u.  unto  life  is  a 
saving  grace,  whereby  a  sinner,  out  of  a  true  sense  of  his  sin,  and  an  appre- 
hension of  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  doth,  with  grief  and  hatred  of  his 
sin,  turn  fir.  it  unto  God,  with  full  purpose  of,  and  endeavour  aft.  new 
obedience."  (Assem.  Cat.)  "Lateit.  is  seldom  true,  but  true  r.  is  never 
too  late."  ( Venning.)  "  If  we  refuse  to  u.  now,  we  do  not  so  much  refuso 
to  do  our  own  duty  as  to  accept  of  a  reward.  It  is  the  greatest  and  dearest 
blessing  that  ever  God  gave  to  men,  that  they  may  u. ;  and,  therefore,  to 
deny  it  or  to  delay  it,  is  to  refuse  health,  brought  by  the  skill  of  the  Phy- 
sician— it  is  to  refuse  liberty  indulged  to  us  by  our  gracious  Lord."  (Jer. 
Taylor?)  "s,  is  faith's  usher,  and  dews  all  her  way  with  tears,  it.  reads 
the  law  and  weeps  ;  faith  reads  the  gospel  and  comforts.  E.  looks  to  tho 
rigorous  brow  of  Moses  ;  faith  beholds  the  sweet  countenance  of  Christ 
Jesus."  (Adams.)  "  He  that  (1)  leaves  not  all  sin  ;  or  (2)  leaves  it  only 
outwardly ;  or  (3)  leaves  it  because  he  cannot  commit  it ;  or  (4)  leaves  it  out 
of  sinister  respects;  or  (5)  leaves  one  sin  foranother;  or  (6)  for  a  time  only; 
or  (7)  does  not  endeavour  to  subdue  it ;  or  (8)  turns  fr.  sin,  but  not  to  God 
— has  not  had  a  true  r."     (Clarkson.) 

"  On  bended  knees,  replete  with  godly  grief, 
See  where  the  mourner  kneels  to  seek  relief, 
No  '  God,  I  thank  thee,'  freezes  on  his  tongue, 
For  works  of  merit  that  to  him  belong  ; 
Deep  in  his  soul  conviction's  ploughshare  rings, 
And  to  the  surface  his  corruption  brings  ; 
He  loathes  himself,  in  lowest  dust  he  lies, 
And  all  abased,  '  Unclean,  unclean,'  he  cries. 
From  his  full  heart  pours  forth  the  gushing  plea, 
'  God  of  the  lost,  be  merciful  to  me ! ' 
The  light  of  life  descends  in  heavenly  rays, 
And  angels  shout  and  sing,  ' Behold!  he  prays.'" 

(Helffiuus-  Emblems.) 
"  Very  different  from  the  tears  which  are  shed  over  outward  goods  which 
have  departed,  or  inward  desires  which  have  been  disappointed,  are  those 
tears  which  our  Lord  blessed,  when  He  said,  '  Blessed  are  ye  that  weep 
now,  for  ye  shall  laugh.'  Those  are  the  tears  of  repentance  which  Peter 
shed  when  he  went  but  and  wept  bitterly  ;  the  tears  with  which  Mary 
Magdalene  washed  her  Lord's  feet,  wiping  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head. 
They  are  the  tears  which  burst  from  our  hearts  when  we  look  upon  Him 
whom  we  pierced,  and  weep  as  a  mother  weepeth  for  her  only  son." 
(E.  Irring.)  "  There  is  a  repentance  unto  death.  The  regret  for  having 
sinned,  springing  from  no  other  cause  than  horror  of  sin's  punishment, 
is  many  a  time  felt  very  dreadfully  on  the  bed  of  death  by  the  ungodly 
who  are  dying  in  their  sins ;  and  it  is  most  fearfully  realized  and  exempli- 
fied in  hell  itself."     ( IVardlaiv.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — a.  should  be  prompt  and  complete — a  "godly 
sorrow."  Brings  forth  fruit  meet,  or  suitable,  by  wh.  its  genuineness 
may  be  tested.  It  is  our  duty — because  we  are  commanded — to  r.,  and 
therefore  we  should  use  means,  as  self-examination,  prayer,  etc.,  that  may 
lead  to  a. 


246  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


TRUE   RELIGION.  [Christian 


I.  Definitions,  etc.— "A  dependence  on  the  veracity  of  another, 
or  belief  on  testimony  (Heb.  xi.  7).  F.  is  dis.  fr.  credulity,  in  that  it 
does  not  accept  as  true  that  wh.  is  not  based  on  suf.  evidence  ;  and  fr. 
unbelief,  in  that  it  accepts  whatever  is  proposed  to  it  when  the  testi- 
mony is  adequate."  Devils  believe  and  tremble  (Jas.  ii.  19),  because 
they  find  no  means  of  escape  fr.  their  doom.  Those  who  believe  in 
Christ  accept  His  offered  mercy,  rely  on  His  never-fprfeited  word, 
and  are,  for  His  sake,  regarded  as  God's  children.  F.,  if  genuine, 
will  work  by  love  (Gal.  v.  6),  yielding  the  fruits  of  a  holy  life  and 
conversation  (Mat.  vii.  20;  Jas.  ii.  20). 

II.  Bible  Befs.  to  Faith.— Defined  (Heb.  xi.  1);  commanded 
(Mk.  xi.  22;  1  Jo.  iii.  23).  Objects  of:  God  (Mk.  xi.  22;  Jo.  xiv.  1); 
Christ  (Jo.  vi.  29,  xiv.  1 ;  Ac.  xx.  21) ;  writings  of  Moses  (Jo.  v.  46 ;  Ac. 
xxiv.  14) ;  the  prophets  (2  Ch.  xx.  20  ;  Ac.  xxvi.  27)  ;  gospel  (Mk.  i.  15) ; 
promises  of  God  (Ro.  iv.  21 ;  Heb.  xi.  13).  In  Christ,  is  gift  of  God  (Ro. 
xii.  3;  Ep.  ii.  8,  vi.  23;  Ph.  i.  29);  work  of  God  (Ac.  xi.  21;  1  Cor.  ii.  5); 
precious  (2  Pet.  i.  1)  ;  holy  (Jude  20)  ;  fruitful  (1  Thes.  i.  3)  ;  accom.  by 
repentance  (Mk.  i.  15;  Lu.  xxiv.  47);  fol.  by  conversion  (Ac.  xi.  21.) 
Christ  is  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  (Heb.  xii.  2).  Gift  of  H.  Ghost  (1  Cor. 
xii.  9).  Scriptures  produce  (Jo.  xx.  31;  2  Tim.  iii.  15)  ;  and  preaching 
(Jo.  xvii.  20;  Ac.  viii.  12;  Ro.  x.  14,  15,  17;  1  Cor.  iii.  5).  Through  it 
forgiveness  (Ac.  x.  43;  Ro.  iii.  25);  justification  (Ac.  xiii.  39;  Ro.  iii.  21, 
22,  28,  30,  v.  1 ;  Gal.  ii.  16) ;  salvation  (Mk.  xvi.  16 ;  Ac.  xvi.  31)  ;  sanc- 
tification  (Ac.  xv.  9,  xxvi.  18);  light  (Jo.  xii.  36,  46);  spiritual  life  (Jo. 
xx.'  31 ;  Gal.  ii.  20) ;  eternal  (Jo.  iii.  15,  16,  vi.  40,  47) ;  rest  in  heaven 
(Heb.  iv.  3) ;  edification  (1  Tim.  i.  4  ;  Jude  20) ;  preservation  (1  Pet.  i.  5) ; 
adoption  (Jo.  i.  12;  Gal.  iii.  26)  ;  access  (Ro.  v.  2;  Ep.  iii.  12)  ;  the  pro- 
mises (Gal.  iii.  22  ;  Heb.  vi.  12) ;  gift  of  H.  Ghost  (Ac.  xi.  15-17;  Gal.  iii. 
14  ;  Ep.  i.  13).  Imposs.  to  please  God  without  (Heb.  xi.  6) ;  justification 
bv,  of  grace  (Ro.  iv.  16)  ;  essential  to  reception  of  Gospel  (Heb.  iv.  2);  in 
Christian  warfare  (ITim.  i.  18,  19,  vi.  12);  effectual  Gospel  (1  Thes.  ii.  13). 
Excludes  self-justification  (Ro.  x.  3,  4) ;  boasting  (Ro.  iii.  27) ;  works  by 
love  (Gal.  v.  6 ;  1  Tim.  i.  5 ;  Phil.  5).  Produces  hope  (Ro.  v.  2)  ;  joy  (Ac. 
xvi.  34;  1  Pet.  i.  8) ;  peace  (Ro.  xv.  13) ;  confidence  (Is.  xxviii.  16,  cf. 
1  Pet.  ii.  6);  boldness  in  preaching  (Ps.  cxvi.  10,  cf.  2  Cor.  iv.  13).  Christ 
is  precious  to  those  having  (1  Pet.  ii.  7).  Christ  dwells  in  the  heart  by 
(Ep.  iii.  17) ;  necessary  in  prayer  (Mat.  xxi.  22;  Jas.  i.  6) ;  those  who  are 
not  Christ's  have  not  (Jo.  x.  26,  27) ;  an  evidence  of  the  new  birth  (1  Jo. 
v.  1).  By  it  saints  live  (Gal.  ii.  20);  stand  (Ro.  xi.  20;  2  Cor.  i.  24); 
walk  (Ro.  iv.  12;  2  Cor.  v.  7) ;  obtain  a  good  report  (Heb.  xi.  2) ;  over- 
come world  (1  Jo.  v.  4,  5);  resist  devil  (1  Pet.  v.  9 ;  Ep.  vi.  16);  supported 
(Ps.  xxvii.  13 ;  1  Tim.  iv.  10)  ;  die  (Heb.  xi.  13).  Saints  should  be  full  of 
(Ac.  vi.  5,  xi.  24) ;  sincere  in  (1  Tim.  i.  5  ;  2  Tim.  i.  5) ;  abound  in  (2  Cor. 
viii.  7) ;  continue  in  (Ac.  xiv.  22) ;  Col.  i.  23) ;  strong  in  (Ro.  iv.  20) ; 
stand  fast  in  (1  Cor.  xvi.  13) ;  be  grounded  in  (Col.  i.  23) ;  hold  (I  Tim.  i. 
19) ;  pray  for  (Lu.  xvii.  5) ;  have  full  assurance  (2  Tim.  i.  12  ;  Heb.  x.  22). 
True,  by  fruits  (Jas.  ii.  21-25).  Without  fruits  dead  (Jas.  ii.  17,  20,  26). 
Examine  (2  Cor.  xiii.  5).  Difficulties  overcome  (Mat.  xvii.  20,  xxi.  21 ; 
Mk.  xi.  23).    All  should  be  done  in  (Ro.  xiv.  22).     What  is  not  of,  is  tin 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  247 


Theology.]  TRUE  REL1GJ0X  [Faith. 

(Ro.  xiv.  23).  Tried  by  affliction  (1  Pet.  i.  G,  7).  Trial  of,  works  patience 
(Jas.  i.  3).  Wicked  profess  (Ac.  viii.  13,  21) ;  are  destitute  of  (Jo.  x.  25, 
xii.  37;  Ac.  xix.  9;  2  Thes.  iii.  2).  Protection  of,  illustrated:  A  shield 
(Ep.  vi.  16)  ;  a  breastplate  (1  Th.  v.  8). 

III.  Illustrations  Of  Faith. — Examples :  Caleb  (Num.  xiii.  30) ; 
Job  (Job  xix.  26) ;  Shadrach,  etc.  (Dan.  iii.  17) ;  Daniel  (vi.  10,  23)  ;  Peter 
(Mat,  xvi.  10) ;  woman  who  was  a  sinner  (Lu.  vii.  50) ;  Nathanael  (Jo.  i. 
49)  ;  Samaritans  (iv.  39)  ;  Martha  (xi.  27) ;  the  disciples  (xvi.  30)  ;  Thomas 
(xx.  28) ;  Stephen  (Ac.  vi.  5) ;  priests  (vi.  7) ;  Ethiopian  (viii.  37) ;  Bar- 
nabas (xi.  24);  Sergius  Paulus  (xiii.  12);  Philippian  jailor  (xvi.  31,  34); 
Romans  (Ro.  i.  8) ;  Colossians  (Col.  i.  4) ;  Thessalonians  (1  Thes.  i.  3) ; 
Lois  (2  Tim.  i.  5) ;  Paul  (iv.  7) ;  Abel  (Heb.  xi.  4) ;  Enoch  (xi.  5) ;  Noah 
(xi.  7);  Abraham  (xi.  8,  17);  Isaac  (xi.  20);  Jacob  (xi.  21);  Joseph  (xi. 
22) ;  Moses  (xi.  24,  27) ;  Rahab  (xi.  31) ;  Gideon,  etc.  (xi.  32,  33,  39). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Faith  is  the  cue  by 

wh.  we  look  to  Jesus;  dimsighted  or  weeping,  still  an  eye.  It  is  the 
litntd  with  wh.  we  lay  hold  of  Jesus  ;  trembling,  yet  still  a  hand.  It  is  the 
to>tgue  with  wh.  we  taste  how  good  the  Lord  is  ; — feverish,  yet  nevertheless 
a  tongue.  It  is  the  foot  by  wh.  we  go  to  Jesus  ;  a  lame  foot  is  still  a  foot : 
he  who  comes  slowly  nevertheless  comes."  (Midler.)  "  True,  justifying 
f.  consists  of  three  things — self-renunciation,  recumbency,  appropriation." 
( Watson)  "  The  region  of  unbelief  is  black  with  God's  frown,  and  filled 
with  plagues  and  wrath ;  but  the  region  of  f.  is  as  the  floor  of  heaven  for 
brightness.  Christ's  righteousness  shelters  it,  the  graces  of  the  Spirit 
beautify  it,  and  the  eternal  smile  of  God  comforts  and  glorifies  it."  (Roge.) 

"  True  faith  and  reasons  are  the  soul's  two  eyes ; 
Faith  evermore  looks  upward,  and  descries 
Objects  remote  ;  but  reason  can  discover 
Things  only  near — sees  nothing  that's  above  her  ; 
They  are  not  matches — often  disagree, 
And  sometimes  both  are  clos'd,  and  neither  see."         (Quarks.) 

"  Lo !  when  the  boatman  stems  the  flowing  tide, 
And  aims  direct  his  little  boat  to  guide, 
With  both  oars  working  he  can  headway  make, 
And  leave  the  waters  foaming  in  his  wake ; 
But  if  one  oar  within  the  boat  he  lays, 
In  useless  circles  round  and  round  he  plays. 
So  faith  and  works,  when  both  together  brought 
With  mighty  power,  and  heavenly  life  are  fraught, 
To  help  the  Christian  on  his  arduous  road, 
And  urge  him  forward  on  his  way  to  God : 
If  faith  or  works  ;  no  matter  which,  he  drops 
Short  of  his  journey's  end  he  surely  stops. 

(Iteligious  Emblems.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — Do  ye  now  believe?  What?  Not  simply 
that  Jesus  died,  and  that  He  died  for  sinners,  but  that  He  died  for  you  ? 


248  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Kegeneration.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definition,  etc.— R.  "  is  that  mighty  change  in  man,  wrought 
by  the  H.  Ghost,  by  wh.  the  dominion  wh.  sin  has  over  him  in  his 
nat.  state,  and  vvh.'he  deplores  and  struggles  against  in  his  present 
state,  is  broken  and  abolished,  so  that  with  full  choice  of  will,  and 
the  energy  of  right  affection,  he  serves  God  freely,  and  runs  in  the 
wav  of  His  commandments."  (  Watson.)  "  It  is  a  change  of  qualities 
or  disposition,  not  of  substance  of  the  soul.  It  is  a  supernat.  change ; 
he  that  is  born  again  is  born  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  a  change  into  the 
likeness  of  God  (2  Cor.  iii.  18).  Every  thing  that  generates,  generates 
its  like  :  the  child  bears  the  image  of  the  parent  ;  and  they  that 
are  born  of  God  bear  God's  image.  It  is  a  universal  change-; 
(2  Cor.  v.  17).  It  is  a  blessed  leaven,  that  leavens  the  whole  lump,  the 
whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and  body.  .  .  .  One  gets  not  only  a  new  head 
to  know  religion,  or  a  new  tongue  to  talk  of  it ;  but  a  new  heart  to 
love  and  embrace  it.  "When  the  Lord  opens  the  sluice  of  grace  on 
the  soul's  new  birthday,  the  waters  run  through  the  whole  man,  to 
purify  and  make  him  fruitful."  {Boston.)  "  In  the  creation  of  man 
God  began  at  the  outside  ;  but  in  the  work  of  regeneration,  He  first 
begins  within — at  the  heart."    (Bunyan.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Regeneration.— Needful  (Jo.  iii.  3, 

6;  Ro.  viii.  7,  8).  Effected  by  God  (Jo.  i.  13;  1  Pet.  i.  3)  ;  Christ  (1  Jo. 
ii.  29,  iii.  6;  Tit.  iii.  5).  Instrumentality  o/the  Word  (Jas.  i.  18  ;  1  Pet. 
i.  23)  ;  resurrection  of  Christ  (1  Pet.  i.  3)  ;  ministry  of  Gospel  (1  Cor.  vi. 
15).  Is  will  of  God  (Jas.  i.  18) ;  mercy  of  God  (Tit.  iii.  5)  ;  for  glory  of 
God  (Is.  xliii.  7).  Described  as  a  new  creation  (2  Cor.  v.  17  ;  Gal.  vi.  5 ; 
Ep.  ii.  10) ;  new  life  (Ro.  vi.  4) ;  spiritual  resurrection  (Ro.  vi.  4-6  ;  Ep. 
ii.  1,  5  ;  Col.  ii.  12,  iii.  1)  ;  new  heart  (Ez.  xxxvi.  26) ;  new  spirit  (Ez.  xi. 
19  ;  Ro.  vii.  6)  ;  new  man  (Ep.  iv.  24)  ;  inward  man  (Ro.  vii.  22  ;  2  Cor. 
iv.  16)  ;  circum.  of  heart  (Deu.  xxx.  6,  cf.  Ro.  ii.  29  ;  Col.  ii.  11)  ;  of  the 
Divine  nature  (2  Pet.  i.  4) ;  washing  of  regeneration  (Tit.  iii.  5).  All  saints 
partake  (1  Pet.  ii.  2  ;  1  Jo.  v.  1).  Produces  likeness  to  God  (Ep.  iv.  24  ; 
Col.  iii.  10)  ;  to  Christ  (Ro.  viii.  29)  ;  knowledge  of  God  (Jer.  xxiv.  7 ; 
Col.  iii.  10)  ;  hatred  of  sin  (1  Jo.  iii.  9,  v.  18)  ;  victory  over  world  (1  Jo. 
v.  4)  ;  delight  in  God's  law  (Ro.  vii.  22).  Evidenced  by  faith  in  Christ 
(1  Jo.  v.  1)  ;  righteousness  (ii.  29) ;  brotherly  love  (iv.  7).  Conn,  with 
adoption  (Is.  xliii.  6,  7 ;  Jo.  i.  12,  13).  Ignorant  cavil  (Jo.  iii.  4). 
Manner  of  ill.  (Jo.  iii.  8).     Preserves  from  Satan's  devices  (1  Jo.  v.  18). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  r.  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  qualify  you  for  heaven.  None  go  to  heaven  but  they  that 
are  made  meet  for  it  (Col.  i.  12).  As  it  was  with  Solomon's  temple 
(1  K.  vi.  7),  so  is  it  with  the  temple  above.  It  is  'built  of  stone,  made 
ready  bef.  it  is  brought  thither,'  namely,  of  '  lively  stones  '  (1  Pet.  ii.  5), 
1  wrought  for  the  selfsame  thing  '  (2  Cor.  v.  5) ;  for  they  cannot  be  laid 
in  that  glorious  building  just  as  they  came  out  of  the  quarry  of  depraved 
nature.  Jewels  of  gold  are  not  meet  for  swine,  and  far  less  jewels  of  glory 
for  unrenewed  sinners.  Beggars  in  their  rags  are  not  meet  for  kings' 
houses,  nor  sinners  to  '  enter  into  the  king's  palace,'  without  the  '  raiment 
of  ueedlework'  (Ps.  xliv.  14,  15).  .  .  .  Even  as  little  are  the  unregenerate 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  249 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Eegeneration. 

meet  for  heaven,  or  is  heaven  meet  for  them."  (Boston.)  "As  it  would  bo 
impossible  for  the  insect  in  its  chrysalis  state  to  observe  the  laws  wh.  are 
made  for  its  transformed  state — for  the  worm  to  know  the  laws  wh.  make 
the  summer  fly  seek  the  sunshine  and  live  upon  the  flower — as  it  must  be 
'  born  again,"  and  enter  upon  a  new  existence  bef.  it  can  keep  the  laws  of 
that  now  existence  ;  so  only  the  new  creature  can  keep  the  new  command- 
ment— love."  (Stanford.)  "  If  not  the  slightest  movement  of  matter  can 
take  place  without  the  immediate  agency  of  God,  shall  wo  wonder  that 
this  agency  is  needed  in  the  higher  and  more  subtle  processes  of  mind  ?  If 
every  echoing  word  bespeak  the  Deity,  shall  it  seem  strange  to  appeal  to 
this  power  in  the  regeneration  of  a  soul  ?  Ea.  time  the  furrow  opens  to 
the  ploughshare,  or  the  sail  of  the  vessel  expands  to  the  breeze,  we  call  in 
the  aid  of  a  mysterious  agency,  without  wh.  human  efforts  were  vain. 
Can  it  be  matter  of  surprise  that  the  same  mysterious  agency  must  be 
invoked  in  every  effort  to  break  up  the  hardened  soil  of  the  human  heart, 
or  to  communicate  to  the  dull  and  moveless  spirit  of  man  an  impulse 
towards  a  nobler  than  earthly  destiny?"  (Caird.)  "Regeneration  is 
neither  more  nor  less  than  what  I  may  call  elementary  or  incipient  sanc- 
titication.  It  is  in  the  implantation  of  those  principles  in  the  mind,  and  of 
those  affections  in  the  heart,  of  which  the  more  full  development  consti- 
tutes a  sanctified  character,  the  character  of  a  saint.  This  might  be  illus- 
trated by  the  very  case  in  nature  that  furnishes  the  figure.  The  infant 
born  into  the  world  is  the  man  in  miniature.  All  the  parts  of  the  body, 
and  all  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  are  there  in  embryo.  So  the 
regenerated  sinner  is  the  saint  in  embryo.  The  new  principles  are 
there,  the  new  affections  are  there,  the  saint  is  there,  but  in  infancy." 
(Wardlaw.)  "In  passing  from  nature  to  grace,  you  did  not  pass  from  a 
lower  to  a  higher  stage  of  the  same  condition — from  daybreak  to  sunshine, 
but  from  the  darkest  night  to  dawn  of  day.  Unlike  the  worm  that  changes 
into  a  winged  insect,  or  the  infant  who  grows  up  into  a  stately  man,  you 
became — not  a  more  perfect,  but  a  '•new  creature'  in  Jesus  Christ." 
(Guthrie.)  "  A  thistle-st'ic?  would  not  bring  forth  a  rose-bush  without  a 
change  in  its  nature,  any  more  than  a  thistle  grown  would  bear  roses  with- 
out a  change.  No  more  will  a  child,  in  whom  the  seed  of  sin  dwells,  grow 
up  in  the  nature  and  love  of  God,  without  regeneration,  any  more  than 
the  growing  young-man  sinner,  and  the  full-developed  sinner.  One  is  as 
necessary  as  the  other,  and  calls  for  the  same  power  from  above  to  accom- 
plish it."  (Bate's  Eney.)  "Regeneration  is  that  mighty  change  whereby 
a  natural  man  is  made  a  spiritual  or  a  new  man,  and  he  that  was  a  child 
of  the  devil  becomes  by  grace  a  child  of  God.  For  as  by  our  natural 
birth  we  are  made  in  the  likeness  of  fallen  Adam,  called  the  '  old  man,' 
the  first  man,  so  by  this  spiritual  birth  we  become  'new  creatures,' 
spiritual  men,  and  sons  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  second  Adam." 
(Fl  tcher.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — "  Ye  must  be  born  again."  Jesus  Christ 
says  so  ;  and  while  that  is  conclusive,  both  common  sense  and  reason  also 
say  it  must  be  so.  The  unregenerate  cannot  see — i.  e.,  understand,  ap- 
prove— the  kingdom  of  God,  or  "  enter  in,"  in  the  sense  of  not  only 
being  there,  but  of  heartily  participating  in  its  joys,  obeying  its  laws,  etc. 
Have  you  experienced  this  change  ?  ^ 


250  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Conversion.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "The  change  in  a  man's  heart  and  life, 
when,  by  the  effectual  working  of  the  H.  Ghost,  he  turns  fr.  sin  and 
the  power  of  Satan  to  the  service  of  God.  A  change  fr.  outward  pro- 
fession to  vital  godliness  (Ac.  iii.  19,  xv.  3).  The  Lord's  words  to 
Peter  (Lu.  xxii.  32)  =  recovery  fr.  his  fearful  fall ;  having  had  ex- 
perience of  Satan's  power,  he  might  well  warn  and  strengthen  others 
against  yielding  to  it  "  (1  Pet.  v.  8,  9).  (T.  B.  K.)  "  C.  is  to  be  dis. 
fr.  regeneration  thus : — Regeneration  is  a  spiritual  change;  c.  is  a 
spiritual  motion  ;  in  regeneration  there  is  a  power  conferred;'  c.  is  the 
exercise  of  this  power  ;  in  regeneration  there  is  given  us  a  principle  to 
turn  ;  c.  is  our  actual  turning."  (Charnock.)  "  c.  is  a  change  fr.  one 
state  to  another.  Saving  c.  consists  in  the  renovation  of  the  heart 
and  life,  or  a  turning  fr.  the  power  of  sin  and  Satan  unto  God  (Ac. 
xxvi.  18),  and  is  produced  by  the  influence  of  divine  grace  on  the 
soul."  (Buck.)  "We  are  born  with  our  backs  upon  God  and  heaven, 
and  our  faces  upon  sin  and  hell,  till  grace  comes,  and  that  converts, 
turns   (Ac.  iii.  19,  26)."  (P.  Henrg.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  C  — By  God  (1  K.  xviii.  37 ;  Jo.  vi.  44 ;  Ac. 
xxi.  19)  ;  Christ  (Ac.  iii.  26;  Ro.  xv.  18) ;  power  of  (Pr.  i.  23) ;  of  grace 
(Ac.  xi.  21,  ef.  verse  23) ;  follows  repentance  (Ac.  iii.  19,  xxvi.  20) ;  result 
of  faith  (xi.  21).  Throur/h  the  instrumentality  of;  Scriptures  (Ps.  xix.  7)  ; 
ministers  (Ac.  xxvi.  18  ;  1  Thes.  i.  9) ;  self-examination  (Ps.  cxix.  59  ;  Lam. 
iii.  40);  affliction  (Ps  lxxviii.  34).  A  cause  of  joy :  to  God  (Ez.  xviii.  23; 
Lu.  xv.  32) ;  saints  (Ac.  xv.  3 ;  Gal.  i.  23,  24) ;  necessary  (Mat.  xviii.  3) ; 
commanded  (Job  xxxvi.  10) ;  exhortations  to  (Pr.  i.  23 ;  Is.  xxxi.  6,  lv.  7 ; 
Jer.  iii.  7  ;  Ez.  xxxiii.  11) ;  promises  (Neh.  i.  9;  Is.  i.  27  ;  Jer.  iii.  14;  Ez. 
xviii.  27) ;  pray  for  (Ps.  lxxx.  7,  lxxxv.  4  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  18  ;  Lam.  v.  21)  ; 
accompanied  by  (1  K.  viii.  35) ;  neglecting  (Ps.  vii.  12  ;  Jer.  xliv.  5,  11  ; 
Ez.  iii.  19);  leading  sinners  to  (Ps.  li  13);  encouragement  (Dan.  xii.  3; 
Jas.  v.  19,  20) ;  of  Gentiles,  predicted  (Is.  li.  2,  xi.  10,  lx.  5,  lxvi.  12) ;  of 
Israel  (Ez.  xxxvi.  25-27). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— At  a  conference  of 

ministers  in  New  York  it  was  found  that  of  149  ministers  the  average  age 
at  c.  was  only  15  3-5  yrs.  And  ab.  1-Gth  were  converted  when  less  than 
12  yrs.  of  age.  "  cs.  after  40  yrs.  of  age  are  very  rare  ;  like  the  scattered 
grapes  on  the  remotest  branches  aft.  the  vintage  is  over,  there  is  only  one 
bare  and  there.  1  have  sometimes  seen  an  old  withered  oak  standing  with 
its  stiff  and  leafless  branches  on  the  slopes  of  a  woody  hill,  though  the 
same  rains  and  genial  sunshine  fell  on  it  as  on  its  thriving  neighbours,  wh. 
were  green  with  renewed  youth,  and  rich  in  flowing  foliage  ;  it  grew  not, 
it  gave  no  signs  of  life,  it  was  too  far  gone  for  genial  nature  to  assist.  The 
old,  blanched,  sapless  oak  is  an  emblem  of  the  aged  sinner."  (Br.  Thomas.) 
Cowper,  the  poet,  relates  of  his  overpowering  sensations  at  the  time  of 
his  conversion,  "Unless  the  Almighty  had  been  under  me,  I  think  I  should 
have  been  overwhelmed  with  gratitude  and  joy.  My  eyes  filled  wir.h  tears, 
and  my  voice  choked  with  transport.  I  could  only  look  up  to  heaven  in 
silent  fear,  overwhelmed  with  love  and  wonder."  "  Late  observations 
have  shown  that,  under  many  circumstances,  the  magnetic  needle,  even 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  251 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELWIOX.  [Conversion. 

after  the  disturbing  influences  have  been  removed,  will  keep  wavering, 
and  require  many  days  bef.  it  points  aright,  and  remains  steady  to  the 
pole.  So  is  it  ordinarily  with  the  soul,  aft.  it  has  begun  to  free  itself  fr. 
the  disturbing  forces  of  the  flesh  and  the  world,  and  to  convert  (turn)  it- 
self towards  God."  (MvCos/i.)  "  As  a  locomotive  cannot  turn  itself  on  the 
line  of  rails,  but  must  be  taken  on  the  machine  and  turned  by  the  power 
of  man,  so  the  sinner  cannot  convert  himself  fr.  the  nature  and  ways  of 
sin.  He  must  be  brought  in  contact  with  the  Gospel,  and  by  the  agency 
of  the  H.  Ghost  be  turned  fr.  darkness  to  light,  and  fr.  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God."  (Bate.)  "  c.  is  no  repairing  of  the  old  building;  but  it  takes 
down  and  erects  a  new  structure.  It  is  not  the  putting  in  a  patch,  or  sow- 
ing on  a  list  of  holiness,  but  with  the  true  convert,  holiness  is  woven  into 
all  his  powers,  principles,  and  practice.  The  sincere  Christian  is  quite  a 
new  fabric,  fr.  the  foundation  to  the  top  stone  all  new.  He  is  a  new  man, 
a  new  creature.  All  things  are  become  new.  c.  is  a  deep  work,  a  heart- 
work  ;  it  turns  all  upside  down,  and  makes  a  man  be  in  a  new  world.  It 
goes  throughout  with  men,  throughout  the  mind,  the  members,  the  motions 
of  the  whole  life."  (Alkine.)  "  Now  the  marvellous  thing  in  conversion 
is,  that  while  all  is  supei -natural  (being  the  entire  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit) 
all  is  also  natural.  You  are,  perhaps,  unconsciously  expecting  some  mi- 
raculous illapse  of  heavenly  power  and  brightness  into  the  soul  :  some- 
thing apart  from  Divine  truth  and  from  the  working  of  man's  powers  of 
mind.  You  have  been  expecting  faith  to  descend,  like  an  angel  from 
heaven,  into  your  soul,  and  hope  to  be  lighted  up  like  a  new  star  in  your 
firmament.  It  is  not  so.  Whilst  the  Spirit's  work  is  beyond  nature,  it  is 
not  against  nature.  He  displaces  no  faculty  ;  he  disturbs  no  mental  pro- 
cess ;  He  does  violence  to  no  part  of  our  moral  framework  ;  He  creates  no 
new  organ  of  thought  or  feeling.  His  office  is  to  set  '  all  to  rights ' 
within  you,  so  that  you  never  feel  so  calm,  so  true,  so  real,  so  perfectly 
natural,  so  much  yourself,  as  when  He  has  taken  possession  of  you  in 
every  part,  and  filled  your  whole  man  with  His  heavenly  joy.  Never  do 
you  feel  so  perfectly  free — less  constrained  and  less  mechanical — in  every 
faculty,  as  when  he  has  '  brought  every  thought  into  captivity  to  the 
obedience  of  Christ.'"  (Bonar.)  "When  a  man  has  washed  his  body  in 
the  bath,  he  does  not  need  to  wash  again,  saving  his  feet,  which  may  be 
soiled  even  in  passing  from  the  bath  to  the  dressing  chamber.  This  most 
aptly  represents  the  general  purification  which,  in  their  great  principles, 
the  heart  and  character  undergo  when  a  sinner  is  converted  to  God ;  and 
at  the  same  time,  the  daily  and  hourly  soiling  or  pollution,  from  contact 
from  the  world,  which  every  convert  is  ever  contracting,  and  from  which 
he  is  now  requiring  to  be  cleansed."     ( Wardlaw.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Ponder  the  need  of  e.  No  enjoyment  of 
Christ,  here  or  hereafter,  without  e.  Are  you  converted  ?  Consider  the 
effect  of  c.  Known  byT  fruit,  new  life,  etc.  Have  you  the  fruit  of  c. 
within,  in  altered  views,  tastes,  inclinations,  desires;  without,  in  new  ser- 
vice, and  zeal  towards  God  ?  The  wicked  who  are  not  turned  towards  God, 
will  be  presently  turned  into  Sell. 


252  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Adoption.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definition,  etc. — a.  is  when  a  person  not  nat.  a  son  is  taken 
into  another's  fam.,  and  acknowledged  as  his  own  child.  Moses  was 
A.  by  Pharoah's  dau.  (Ex.  iii.  10),  and  Esther  by  Mordecai  (Est.  ii.  7, 
20).  It  was  com.  under  Rom.  law  (Smith's  Die.  of  Gk.  and  Roman 
Antiq.,  art.  "  Adoption  "),  ace.  to  wh.,  by  a  formal  act,  a  relationship 
wasestab.  exactly  like  that  betw.  father  and  son.  "  Among  the  Mo- 
hammedans the  ceremony  of  A.  is  performed  by  causing  the  adopted 
to  pass  through  the  shirt  of  the  person  who  adopts  him.  For  this 
reason,  to  adopt,  among  the  Turks,  is  expressed  by  saying — to  draw 
any  one  through  one's  shirt ;  and  an  adopted  son  is  called  by  them 
Aliictogli,  the  son  of  another  life  ;  because  he  was  not  begotten  in 
this."  (D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient.)  "  a.  is  that  act  of  God  by  wh.  we 
who  were  alienated,  and  enemies,  and  disinherited,  are  made  the  sons 
of  God,  and  heirs  of  His  eternal  glory."  (  Watson.)  "  Justification 
is  the  act  of  God  as  a  Judge,  A.  as  a  Father.  By  the  former  we  are 
discharged  fr.  condemnation,  and  accepted  as  righteous  ;  by  the  latter, 
we  are  made  children  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ.  By 
the  one,  we  are  taken  into  God's  favour ;  by  the  other,  into  His  fam. 
A.  may  be  looked  upon  as  an  appendage  to  justification,  for  it  is  by 
our  being  justified  that  we  come  to  a  right  to  all  tlie  honours  and 
privileges  of  A."  (Guyse.)  Btw.  civil  and  sacred  A.  there  is  a  two- 
fold agreement  and  disagreement.  They  agree  in  this,  that  both  flow 
fr.  the  pleasure  and  goodwill  of  the  adoptant ;  and  in  this,  that  both 
confer  a  right  to  privileges  wh.  we  have  not  by  nature;  but  in  this 
they  differ — one  is  an  act  imitating  nature,  the  other  transcends 
nature  ;  the  one  was  found  out  for  the  comfort  of  them  that  had  no 
children,  the  other  for  the  comfort  of  them  that  had  no  Father.  Divine 
A.  is,  in  Scripture,  either  taken  properly  for  that  act  or  sentence  of 
God  by  wh.  we  are  made  sons,  or  for  the  privileges  with  wh.  the  A. 
are  invested.  We  lost  our  inheritance  by  the  fall  of  Adam  ;  we  receive 
it  by  the  death  of  Christ,  wh.  restores  it  again  to  us  by  a  new  and 
better  title."     (Flavel.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  A. — Explained  (2  Cor.  vi.  18).  Ace.  to  promise 
(Ro.  ix.  8;  Gal.  iii.  29).  By  faith  (Gal.  iii.  7,  26).  Of  God's  grace 
(Ez.  xvi.  3-6;  Ro.  iv.  16,  17  ;  Eph.  i.  5,  6,  11).  Through  Christ  (Jo.  i. 
12  ;  Gal.  iv.  4,  5 ;  Eph.  i.  5  ;  Heb.  ii.  10,  13).  Saints  predestinated  unto 
(Ro.  viii.  29_;  Eph.  i.  5,  11).  Gentiles,  predicted  (Hos.  ii.  23;  Ro.  ix. 
24-26;  Ej>h.  iii.  6).  Adopted  gathered  in  one  by  Christ  (Jo.  xi.  52).  New 
birth  conn,  with  (Jo.  i.  12,  13).  H.  Spirit  witness  of  (Ro.  viii.  16).  Led 
by  Spirit,  evidence  of  (Ro.  viii.  14).  The  Spirit  of  (Ro.  xiii.  15;  Gal.  iv. 
6).  Privilege  of  saints  (i.  12;  1  Jo.  iii.  1).  Become  brethren  of  Christ 
(Jo.  xx.  17  ;  Heb.  ii.  11, 12).  Saints  wait  for  consummation  of  (Ro.  viii. 
19,  23 ;  1  Jo.  iii.  2).  Subjects  to  discipline  of  God  (Deu.  viii.  5 ;  2  S.  vii. 
14;  Pr.  iii.  11,  12;  Heb.  xii.  5-11).  God  is  long-suffering  to  partakers  of 
(Jer.  xxxi.  1,  9,  20).  Leads  to  holiness  (2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18',  cf.  vii.  1  ;  Phi. 
ii.  15  ;  1  Jo.  iii.  2,  3).  Should  produce  likeness  to  God  (Mat.  v.  44,  45, 
48  ;  Eph.  v.  1)  ;  confidence  in  God  (Mat.  vi.  25-34) ;  desire  for  God's  glory 


Tories   FOR  TEACHERS.  253 

Theology]  TRUE   RELIGION.  [Adoption. 

(v.  16) ;  spirit  of  prayer  (vii.  1-11)  ;  love  of  peace  (v.  0)  ;  forgiving  spirit 
(vi.  14);  merciful  spirit  (Lu.  vi.  35,  36)  ;  avoidance  of  ostentation  (Mat. 
vi.  1-4,  6,  18).  Safety  of  adopted  (Pr.  xiv.  26).  Confers  new  name  (Nu. 
vi.  27;  Is.  lxii.  2;  Ac.  xv.  17).  Entitles  to  inheritance  (-Mat.  xiii.  43; 
Ro.  viii.  17;  Gal.  iii.  29,  iv.  7;  Eph.  iii.  0).  Pleaded  in  prayer  (Is.  lxiii. 
16;  Mat.  vi.  9). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— By  a.  God  gives  us 
— l.anew  nature  (2  Pet.  i.  4);  2,  a  new  name  (Rev.  iii.  12);  3,  a  new 
inheritance  (Ro.  viii.  17)  ;  4,  new  relatione  (viii.  15,  16)  ;  5,  a  new  hope 
(1  Pet.  i.  3).  {Bates.)  I.  "Men  gen.  adopt  when  they  have  no  children  of 
their  own.     God  had  a  dear  and  well-heloved  Son;  and  He  had  angels. 

2.  Men  gen.  adopt  such  as  they  think  deserving.  God  adopts  criminals, 
traitors,  enemies.  3.  Men  adopt  living  children.  God,  those  that  are  De- 
nature spiritually  dead.  4.  Man  gen.  adopts  one  only;  God, many."  [Bowes.) 
"  By  a.  God  the  Father  is  made  our  Father.  The  incarnate  God-Man  is 
made  our  elder  hrother,  and  we  are  made:— 1.  Like  Him.  2.  intimately 
associated  with  Him  in  community  of  life,  standing,  relations,  privileges. 

3.  Joint-heirs  with  Him  of  His  glory  (Ro.  viii.  17.  29  ;  Heh.  ii.  17,  iv.  15). 
The  Holy  Ghost  is  our  Indweller,  Teacher,  Guide,  Advocate,  Comforter, 
and  SancJifier.  All  believers,  being  subjects  of  the  same  a.,  are  brethren 
(Ep.  iii.  6;  1  Jo.  iii.  14,  v.  1)."  {Hodije.)  "a.  presents  the  new  creature  in 
his  new  relations  ;  his  new  relations  entered  upon  with  a  congenial  heart, 
and  his  new  life  developing  in  a  congenial  home,  and  surrounded  with 
those  relations  wh.  foster  its  growth  and  crown  it  with  blessedness." 
{Ibid.)  "When  the  Danish  missionaries  stationed  at  Malabar  set  some 
of  their  converts  to  translate  a  catechism,  in  which  it  was  asserted  that 
believers  became  the  sons  of  God,  one  of  the  translators  was  so  startled 
that  he  suddenly  laid  down  his  pen,  and  exclaimed,  'This  is  too  much;  let 
me  rather  render  it,  'They  shall  be  permitted  to  kiss  His  feet.'  "  {Bowes.) 
"  How  high  is  this  dignity !  To  be  called  sons  of  God  !  This  is  our  pre- 
rogative royal.  We  tell  you  not  of  a  kindred  imperial,  adopted  into  some 
of  the  Caesars'  families  ;'nor  of  David  matching  into  the  house  of  Saul, 
which  seemed  to  him  no  small  preferment  ;  we  blazon  not  your  arms  with 
the  mixture  of  noble  ingressions,  nor  fetch  your  lineal  descents  from  heroes 
and  monarchs.  You  are  made  the  sons  and  daughters  of  God :  this  is 
honour  amply  sufficient."     {Adams.) 


Sov'reign  of  all  the  worlds  on  high, 
Allow  my  humble  claim  ; 

Nor  while,  unworthy,  I  draw  nigh, 
Disdain  a  Father's  name. 


My  Father,  God !  that  gracious  word 

Dispels  my  guilty  fear  ; 
Not  all  the  notes  by  angels  heard 

Could  so  delight  my  ear.  (Doddridge.) 


IV.  Practical  Hints. — Are  you  the  children  of  God  by  a.  ?  Con- 
sider their  blessed  relations,  privileges,  hopes.  God's  children  are  now  at 
school,  under  Christ,  receiving  a  heavenly  training  for  a  heavenly  life. 
Presently  the  training  will  be  complete,  and  they  will  go  home  to  be  with 
their  Father,  their  elder  Brother,  and  God's  glorified  children  fp~  ever.  If 
not  the  children  of  God,  whose  are  you  ?  (Jo.  viii.  41,  ii'.) 


Vol.  II.— 17 


254  TOPICS    FOE    TEACHERS.. 


Christian  Progress.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc.— [Perseverance]  The  duty  of  P.,  i.e.,  of 
steady,  earnest  continuance  in  the  ways  of  godliness,  is  constantly  en- 
forced (Mat.  x.  22,  xxiv.  3;  Heb.  iii.  6,  14;  Rev.  ii.  10);   danger  of 


falling  back  depicted  (Lu.  ix.  62;  Heb.  vi.  4-8,  x.  26-31,  39;  2  Pet. 
ii.  20-22).  "  p.  of  the  saints  is  their  continuance  in  a  state  of  grace 
to  a  state  of  glory."   (Buck.) 

"  Perseverance  is  a  Roman  virtue, 
That  -wins  each  god-like  act,  and  plucks  success 
Even  from  the  spear-proof  crest  of  rugged  danger."    (Havard.) 

"  Bernard  calls  P.  the  only  dau.  of  the  highest  king,-  the  perfection  of 
virtues,  the  stoi'ehouse  of  good  works ;  a  virtue  without  wh.  no  man 
shall  see  God."  (Adams.)  [Perfection.]  On  Noah  (Ge.  vi.  9),  Bush 
says,  "Not  perfect  in  the  sense  of  sinless,  but  sincere,  simple,  upright, 
having  respect  to  all  God's  commandments,  and,  like  Caleb,  following 
the  Lord  fully.  Christian  P.  is  not  absolute  freedom  fr.  sin,  but 
evangelical  integrity;  a  P.  implying  completeness  of  parts,  rather 
than  of  degrees  in  the  renewed  character;  and  it  n  ay  be  better  un- 
derstood by  viewing  it  as  opp.  to  partiality  and  hi/pocrisy,  to  &  partial 
obedience  and  an  insincere  profession  "  On  Mat.  v.  48  Allord  ob- 
serves, "  '  Complete'  in  your  love  of  others,  not  one-sided  or  exclusive, 
.  .  .  but  all-embi-acing,  and  God-like  .  .  .  No  countenance  is  given 
by  th  s  verse  to  the  anc.  Pelagian  or  the  mod.  heresy  of  perfectibility 
in  this  life.  Such  a  sense  of  the  word  would  be  utterly  at  variance 
with  the  whole  of  the  discom-se.  See  esp.  ver.  22,  29,  32,  in  wh.  t he 
imperfections  and  conflicts  of  the  Christian  are  fully  l'eoognized." 
It  does  not  follow  that  any  are  absolutely  perfect  in  this  life.  The 
holiest  fall  short,  day  by  day,  of  the  high  standard  before  them  (1  K. 
viii.  46 ;  Pr.  xx.  9 ;  Ecc.  vii.  20),  though  all  should  aim  at  it. 

II.  Bible  B.efs.  to  C.  P.— The  way  [Perseverance]:  Proof  of 
reconciliation  with  God  (Col.  i.  21-23)  ;  of  belonging  to  Christ  (Jo.  viii. 
31 ;  Heb.  iii.  6,  14)  ;  mark  of  saints  (Pr.  iv.  18).     To  be  manifested  in  seek- 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  255 

Theology.]  TRUE   RELIGION.  [Christian  Progress. 

ing  God  (1  Ch.  xvi.  11)  ;  waiting  upon  (Hos.  xii.  6)  ;  prayer  (Ro.  xii.  12  ; 
Eph.  vi.  18);  well-doing  (Ro.  ii.  7;  2  Thes.  iii.  13);  continuing  in  faith 
(Ac.  xiv.  22  ;  Col.  i.  23  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  7)  ;  holding  fast  hope  (Ileb.  iii.  6). 
Maintained  through  power  of  God  (Ps.  xxxvii.  24;  Phi.  i.  6);  of  Christ 
(Jo.  x.  28)  ;  intercession  of  Christ  (Lu.  xxii.  31,  32;  Jo.  xvii.  11) ;  fear  of 
God  (Jcr.  xxxii.  40)  ;  faith  (I  Pet.  i.  5)  ;  promised  (Job  xvii.  9) ;  leads  to 
increase  of  knowledge  (Jo.  viii.  31,  32)  ;  to  assurance  (Heb.  vi.  10,  11)  ; 
not  in  vain  (1  Cor.  xv.  58;  Gal.  vi.  9)  ;  ministers  should  exhort  (Ac.  xiii. 
43.  xiv.  22).  Encouragement  (Heb.  xii.  2,  3).  Promises  (Mat.  x.  22, 
xxiv.  13;  Rev.  ii.  2(3-28).  Blessedness  (Jas.  i.  25).  Want  of,  excludes 
from  bor.rtits  of  go*pel  (Heb.  vi.  4-6);  punished  (Jo.  xv.  6;  Ro.  xi.  22) ; 
illustrated  (Mk.  iv.  5,  17).  [Perfection] :  Of  God  (Ps.  xviii.  32,  exxxviii. 
8)  ;  saints  have  in  Christ  (1  Cor.  ii.  6;  Phi.  iii.  15;  Col.  ii.  10).  God's 
perfection  the  standard  of  (Mat.  v.  48).  Implies  devotedness  (Mat.  xix. 
21) ;  holiness  (Jas.  iii.  2).  Saints  to  aim  at  (Ge.  xvii.  1;  Deu.  xviii.  13); 
claim  not  (Job  ix.  20;  Phi.  iii.  12);  follow  after  (Pr.  iv.  18  ;  Phi.  iii.  12). 
Ministers  lead  saints  to  (Ep.  iv.  12  ;  Col.  i.  28).  Exhortation  (2  Cor.  vii. 
1,  xiii.  11).  Impossibility  of  attaining  to  (2  Ch.  vi.  30  ;  Ps.  cxix.  96). 
The  Word  of  God  is  the  rule  (Jas.  i.  25) ;  to  lead  us  to  (2  Tim.  iii.  16,  17). 
Charity  the  bond  of  (Col.  iii.  14).  Patience  leads  to  (Jas.  i.  4).  Pray  for 
(Heb.  xiii.  20,  21 ;  1  Pet.  v.  10).  The  Church  shall  attain  (Jo.  xvii.  23  ; 
Ep.  iv.  13).     Blessedness  (Ps.  xxxvii.  37  ;  Pr.  ii.  28). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— [ Perseverance.]  No 
grace — no,  not  the  most  sparkling  and  shining  grace— can  bring  a  man  to 
heaven  itself  without  r.  ;  not  faith,  wh.  is  the  champion  of  grace,  if  it  be 
faint,  and  fail ;  nor  love,  wh.  is  the  nurse  of  grace,  if  it  decline  and  wax 
cold ;  nor  humility,  wh.  is  the  adorner  and  beautifier  of  grace,  if  it  con- 
tinue not  to  the  end ;  not  obedience,  not  repentance,  not  patience — no,  nor 
any  other  grace,  except  the)'  have  their  perfect  work.  It  is  not  enough 
to  begin  well,  except  we  end  well."  (Brooks.)  "  One  told  Socrates  that  he 
would  fain  go  to  Olympus,  but  he  distrusted  his  sufficiency  for  the  length 
of  the  journey.  Socrates  told  him,  '  Thou  walkest  every  day  little  or 
much ;  continue  this  walk,  forward  thy  way,  and  a  few  days  shall  bring 
thee  to  Olympus.' "  "Every  day  every  man  takes  some  pains.  Let  him  be- 
stow that  measure  of  pains  in  travelling  to  heaven  ;  and  the  further  he 
goes  the  more  heart  he  gets,  till  at  last  he  enters  through  the  gates  into 
the  city."  (Adams.)  [Perfection.]  "  The  process  of  Christian  p.  is  like 
that  wh.  a  portrait  goes  through  under  the  hands  of  the  artist.  When  a 
man  is  converted,  he  is  but  the  outline  sketch  of  a  character  wh.  he  is  to 
fill  up.  He  first  lays  in  the  dead  colouring.  Then  comes  the  work  of  lay- 
ing in  the  colours  ;  and  he  goes  on  day  aft.  day,  week  aft.  week,  month 
aft.  month,  and  year  aft.  year,  blending  them,  and  heightening  the  effect. 
It  is  a  life's  work ;  and  when  he  dies  he  is  still  laying  in  and  blending  the 
colours,  and  heightening  the  effect.  And  if  men  suppose  the  work  is  done 
when  they  are  converted,  why  should  we.  expect  anything  but  lop-sided 
Christian  characters?"   (Beecheri) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— No  day  without  a  line.  The  tortoise,  by 
perseverance,  beat  the  hare  in  the  fable.  "  Not  as  though  I  had  already 
attained,  or  were  already  perfect."  "  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord." 


256  TOPICS    FOR  TEACHERS. 


Sanctification.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "  s.,  when  used  in  the  N.  T.  with  ref.  to 
persons,  is  being  '  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds.'  In  the 
substance  of  its  import,  when  so  used,  it  accords  with  regeneration, 
wh.  is  incipient  s.  or  holiness,  the  implanting  of  its  germs  or  prin- 
ciples into  the  heart,  s.  is  the  growing  establishment  and  unfolding 
of  those  principles."  (Boardman.)  "  It  is  to  be  consecrated. 
Sanctifying  is  the  same  with  consecrating — that  is,  setting  apart  fr. 
com.  and  profane  to  holy  and  spiritual  uses,  as  persons,  places, 
vessels,  times,  were  under  the  O.T.  In  all.  to  wh.,  all  true  believers 
are  a  people  sanctified — that  is,  set  apart  for  God,  separated  fr.  the 
world  and  sin  and  vanity,  to  be  the  Lord's  peculiar  people,  His 
temple,  priests  to  Him,  anointed  for  that  purpose  (Ps.  iv.  3)." 
(P.  Henri/.)  "  Now  concerning  the  righteousness  of  s.,  we  deny  it 
not  to  be  inherent ;  we  grant  that  unless  we  work,  we  have  it  not ; 
only  we  dis.  it  as  a  thing  dif.  in  nature  fr.  the  righteousness  of  jus- 
tification :  we  are  righteous,  the  one  way,  by  the  faith  of  Abraham ; 
the  other  way,  except  we  do  the  works  of  Abraham  we  are  not 
righteous.  Of  the  one,  St.  Paul  (Ro.  iv.  5) ;  of  the  other  St.  John 
(1  Jo.  iii.  7).  Of  the  one,  St.  Paul  doth  prove,  by  Abraham's  example, 
that  we  have  it  of  faith  without  works.  Of  the  other,  St.  James,  by 
Abraham's  example,  that  by  works  we  have  it,  and  not  only  by  faith. 
St.  Paul  doth  plainly  sever  these  two  parts  of  Christian  righteous- 
ness one  fr.  the  other  (Ro.  vi.  22).  Ye  are  made  free  fr.  sin,  and 
made  servants  unto  God:  this  is  the  righteousness  of  justification. 
Ye  have  your  fruit  in  holiness  :  this  is  the  righteousness  of  sanctifi- 
cation. By  the  one  we  are  interested  in  the  right  of  inheriting  : 
by  the  other  we  are  brought  to  the  actual  possession  of  eternal  bliss ; 
and  so  the  end  of  both  is  everlasting  life."  [Hooker.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Sanctification.— Defined  (Ps.  iv.  3 ; 
2  Cor.  vi.  17).  Effected  by  God  (Ez.  xxxvii.  28  ;  1  Thes.  v.  23  ;  Jude  1) , 
Christ  (Heb.  ii.  11,  xiii.  12  ;  Ro.  xv.  16;  1  Cor.  vi.  11).  In  Christ  (1  Cor. 
i.  2).  Through  atonement  (Heb.  x.  10,  xiii.  12)  ;  Word  of  God  (Jo.  xvii. 
17,  19  ;  Ep.  v.  26).  Christ,  unto  us  (1  Cor.  i.  30).  Saints  elected  to  sal- 
vation through  (2  Thes.  ii.  13 ;  1  Pet.  i.  2).  All  saints  in  state  of 
(Ac.  xx.  32,  xxvi.  18;  1  Cor.  vi.  11).  The  Church  made  glorious  by 
(Ep.  v.  26,  27).  Should  lead  to  mortification  (1  Thes.  iv.  3,  4 )  ;  holiness 
(Ro.  vi.  22;  Ep.  v.  7-9).  Offering  up  of  saints  acceptable  through  (Ro. 
xv.  16).  Saints  fitted  for  service  of  God  by  (2  Tim.  ii.  21).  God  wills  all 
saints  to  have  (1  Thes.  iv.  3).  Ministers  set  apart  to  God's  service  by 
(Jer.  i.  5)  ;  should  pray  that  people  may  enjoy  (1  Thes.  v.  23)  ;  exhort 
them  to  walk  in  (1  Thes.  iv.  1,  3).  None  can  inherit  kingdom  without 
(1  Cor.  vi.  9-11).  Typified  (Ge.  ii.  3 ;  Ex.  xiii.  2,  xix.  14,  xl.  9-15 ;  Lev. 
xxvii.  14-16). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  Pardon  itself  would 
be  worthless  without  an  entire  change  of  disposition ;  this,  therefore,  is 
the  great  object  to  be  perseveringly  sought  after.  A  few  sighs  and  tears 
in  the  evening  of  life,  we  fondly  deem,  will  gain  our  pardon ;  but  who  that 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  257 

Theology.]  TRUE   RELIGION.  [Sanctiflcation. 

has  ever  yet  reflected,  by  the  lights  of  common  experience,  upon  the  con- 
stitution of  the  human  heart,  will  say  that  a  few  sighs  and  tears  will 
change  the  nature  P  Plainly,  then,  you  are  omitting  the  chief  element  of 
this  great  resolution  in  the  relations  betw.  you  and  God  ;  infatuated  to 
calculate  at  all  upon  a  barely  possible  future,  you  are  doubly  infatuated 
when  you  leave  out  of  your  calculation  the  principal  item  in  the  reckoning. 
The  pardon  will  open  the  gates  of  the  kin»'s  palace  to  the  guest ;  but 
those  gates  are  equally  open  for  his  rejection,  if  he  lack  the  wedding 
garment."  (Archer  Butler.)  "You  cannot  attend  better  to  your  s.  than 
by  reflecting  how  jou  may  immerse  yourselves  even  deeper  into  the  love 
of  God,  and  bathe  more  continually  in  the  waves  of  His  grace."  (Krioii- 
macher.)  "  s.  is  no  less  than  for  a  man  to  be  brought  to  an  entire  re- 
signation of  his  will  to  the  will  of  God,  and  to  live  in  the  offering  up  of 
his  soul  continually  in  the  flames  of  love,  as  a  whole  burnt-offering  to 
Christ.  How  little  are  many  of  those  who  profess  Christianity  experi- 
mentally acquainted  with  this  work  on  their  souls."  (Usher.)  "(1)  We 
nowhere  find  the  promises  of  entire  sanctiflcation  restricted  to  the  article 
of  death,  either  expressly  or  in  fair  inference  from  any  passage  of  Holy 
Scriptures.  (2)  We  nowhere  find  the  circumstance  of  the  soul's  union 
with  the  body  represented  as  a  necessary  obstacle  to  its  entire  sanctification. 
(3)  From  these  passages  of  Scripture,  which  connect  our  entire  sanctifi- 
cation with  subsequent  habits  and  acts,  to  be  exhibited  in  the  conduct  of 
believers  before  death.  (4)  Those  passages  which  require  us  to  bring 
forth  those  graces  and  virtues  which  are  usually  called  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit."  (E.  JFntson.)  "  You  are  all  agreed  we  may  be  saved  from  all  sin 
before  death :  the  substance,  then,  is  settled.  But  as  to  the  circumstance 
— is  the  change  instantaneous,  or  gradual  ?  It  is  both  one  and  the  other. 
From  the  moment  we  are  justified,  there  may  be  a  gradual  sanctiflcation, 
or  a  growing  in  grace — a  daily  advance  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God. 
And  if  sin  ceased  before  death,  there  must,  in  the  nature  of  the  thing,  be 
an  instantaneous  change ;  there  must  be  a  last  moment  wherein  it  does 
exist,  and  a  first  moment  wherein  it  does  not  exist.  But  should  we,  in 
preaching,  insist  on  both  one  and  the  other  ?  Certainly,  we  must  insist  on 
the  gradual  change,  and  that  earnestly  and  continually.  And  are  there 
not  reasons  why  we  should  insist  on  the  instantaneous  also  ?  If  there  be 
such  a  blessed  change  before  death,  should  we  not  encourage  all  believers 
to  expect  it  ?  And  the  rather,  because  constant  experience  shows  that 
the  more  earnestly  they  expect  this,  the  more  swiftly  and  steadily  does  the 
■work  of  God  go  on  in  their  souls.  The  more  watchful  they  are  against 
sin,  the  more  careful  to  grow  in  grace,  the  more  zealous  of  good  works, 
and  the  more  punctual  in  their  attendance  on  all  the  ordinances  of  God. 
Whereas,  just  the  contrary  effects  are  observed  whenever  the  expectation 
ceases.  They  are  saved  by  hope,  by  this  hope  of  a  total  change — saved 
with  a  gradually  increasing  salvation.  Destroy  this  hope,  and  that  sal- 
vation stands  still,  or,  rather,  decreases  daily.  Therefore,  whoever  would 
advance  the  gradual  change  in  believers,  should  strongly  insist  upon  the 
instantaneous."    (We  by.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Aim  at  the  full  and  entire  s.  of  soul  and 
6pirit.  Daily  give  yourself  wholly  to  God.  Let  your  life  be  one  of  entire 
consecration  to  the  will  of  God.  Leave  as  little  as  possible  to  be  done  in 
the  hour  of  death,  beyond  simply  going  home. 


258  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Resurrection.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc.-  Our  R.  connected  with  that  of  Jesus  Christ, 
q.v.  "1.  The  body  of  the  R.  will  be  as  strictly  identical  with  the 
body  of  death,  as  the  body  of  death  is  with  the  body  of  birth.     2. 

_  -  -  —        ^-.—  ==-_. ^_T  __  Ea.  soul  will  have 

^      -..,  >'/  _.  an   indubitable   in- 

;  _■  ;^  tuitive      conscious- 

_£'■    jf>-         ness   that  its   new 
jHf  -__       body     is     identical 

,]'--"!  '\     .  —  -,  with  the  old.  3.  Ea. 

friend    will    recog- 
nise the  individual 
.,.'   '  characteristics,        of 

:  :V  ;  the  soul  in  the  per- 

fectly    transparent 
Ezra's  Tomb.  expression    of     the 

new  body.''  {Hodge.)  "We  shall  have  bodies  aft.  the  resurrection 
(Jo.  v.  29).  They  will,  of  course,  be  of  a  less  spiritual  nature  than 
the  soul,  otherwise  twro  souls  will  be  conjoined  in  one  person.  We 
naturally  suppose  that  the  object  of  the  body  will  be  to  relate  the 
soul  to  an  external  world;  as  glass  in  the  telescope,  though  a 
grosser  object  than  the  eye,  helps  vision,  so  the  body  will  aid  the 
soul  hereafter,  as  here."  (JV.  Adams.) 

"Anticipate  the  hour, 
When,  at  the  archangel's  voice,  the  slumbering  dust 
Shall  wake,  nor  earth  nor  sea  withhold  her  dead ; 
When,  starting  at  the  crash  of  bursting  tombs, 
Of  mausoleums  rent,  and  pyramids 
Heaved  from  their  base,  the  tyrant  of  the  grave, 
Propp'd  on  his  broken  sceptre,  while  the  crown 
Falls  from  his  head,  beholds  his  prison-house 
Emptied  of  all  inhabitants  ;  beholds 
Mortal  in  immortality  absorb'd, 
Corruptible  in  incorruption  lost."     (Gisbornc.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  R.— Doctrine  of  the  (Job  xix.  26  ;  Ps.  xlix.  15  ;  ^ 
Is.  xxvi.  19  ;  Dan.  xii.  2) ;  first  principle  of  gospel  (Hob.  vi  1,  2) ;  expected 
by  Jews  (Jo.  xi.  24 ;  Heb.  xi.  35)  ;  denied  by  Sadducees  (Mat.  xxii.  23 ; 
Lu.  xx.  27  ;  Ac.  xxiii.  8) ;  explained  away  by  false  teachers  (2  Tim.  ii.  18)  ; 
doubted  (1  Cor.  xv.  12);  not  incredible  (Mk.  xii.  24;  Ac.  xxvi.  8);  not 
contrary  to  reason  (Jo.  xii.  24;  1  Cor.  xv.  35-44);  proved  by  our  Lord 
(Mat.  xxii.  29-32;  Lu.  xiv.  14;  Jo.  v.  28,  29);  preached  by  apostles  (Ac. 
iv.  2,  xvii.  18,  xxiv.  15) ;  credibility  of,  shown  (Mat.  ix.  25,  xxvii.  53;  Lu. 
vii.  14 ;  Jo.  xi.  44  ;  Heb.  xi.  35)  ;  certainty  of,  proved  (I  Cor.  xv.  12-20)  ; 
effected  by  the  power  of  God  (Mat.  xxii.  29)' ;  Christ  (Jo.  v.  28,  29,  vi.  39, 
40,  44)  ;  H.  Ghost  (Ro.  viii.  1 1)  ;  of  all  the  dead  (Jo.  v.  28  ;  Ac.  xxiv.  15  ; 
Rev.  xx.  13).  Saints  in,  shall  rise  through  Christ  (Jo.  xi.  25;  Ac.  iv.  2; 
1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22) ;  first  (1  Cor.  xv.  23  ;  1  Thes.  iv.  16) ;  to  eternal  life  (Dan. 
xii.  2 ;  Jo.  v.  29) ;  be  glorified  (Col.  iii.  41 ;  as  the  angels  (Mat.  xxii.  30)  ; 
incorruptible  (1  Cor.  xv.  42)  ;  glorious  (43)  ;  powerful  (43) ;  spiritual  (44); 


Tones   for  teachers.  259 

Theology.)  TRUE   RELIGION.  [Resurrection. 

bodies  like  Christ's  (Phi.  iii.  21) ;  recompensed  (Lu.  xiv.  14) ;  should  look  to 
(Dan.  xii.  13;  Phi.  iii.  11);  of  saints  followed  by  the  change  of  living 
(I  Cor.  xv.  51,  cf  I  Thes.  iv.  17).  Preaching  of,  caused  mocking  (Ac.  xvii. 
32);  persecution  (Ac.  xxiii.  6,  xxiv.  11-15);  blessedness  of  those  who  have 
part  in  (Rev.  xx.  6).  Of  the  wicked,  .shall  be  to  shame  (Dan.  xii.  2) ;  dam- 
nation (Jo.  v.  29)  ;  illustrative  of  the  new  birth  (Jo.  v.  25) ;  illustrated  (Ez. 
xxxvii.  1-10;   1  Cor.  xv.  36,  37). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— r.  of  Jesus  the  his- 
t  irical  corner-stone  cf  doctrine  of  u.  The  argument  of  St.  Paul  (1  Cor. 
xv.)  the  most  conclusive.  (See  also  Westeott,  Gospel  of  Bc*io\,  119-167).  The 
question  whether  these  identical  bodies — dissolved  by  death— can  in  any 
form  be  restored  finds  its  answer  in  the  mighty  power  of  God,  with  whom 
all  things  are  possible.  "  Cod  has  filled  all  nature  with  continual  em- 
blems  of  this  doctrine.  He  has  given  a  great  number  of  illustrations  in 
the  arrangements  of  nature  and  providence.  What  is  night  but  the  death 
of  day  ?  What  is  morning  but  its  resurrection  from  the  shades  of  dark- 
ness ?  What  is  winter  but  the  death  of  the  year  ?  In  the  dead  leaves 
you  see  emblems  of  death  scattered  wherever  you  go  ?  What  is  spring 
but  a  resurrection  ?  Look  at  that  unsightly  seed  without  any  appearance 
of  life  thrown  into  the  earth  ;  and  then  the  particles  separating  there 
springs  up  the  plant !  Behold  it  unfolding,  and  budding,  and  blooming, 
and  casting  its  fragrance  all  around  ;  that  is  its  resurrection.  We  see  the 
insect  tribe  give  their  evidence,  living  frequently  and  absolutely  in  dif- 
ferent states  and  elements ;  sometimes  crawling,  as  a  worm,  then  lying  in 
apparent  torpor  ;  then  bursting  the  shell,  and  with  wings  of  beauty  and 
activity  slcimming  the  atmosphere."  {Watson.)  Spring  a  type  of  the 
general  it.  (see  1  Cor.  xv.  36-41).  "  Spring-life  is  a  resuscitation — grows 
out  of  past.  Seeds  have  all  nourished  bef.,  some  have  been  long  dormant. 
Spring-life  a  resuscitation  fr.  apparently  extinct  life.  Not  till  signs  of  life 
are  gone  does  germination  begin.  Spring-life  is  a  resuscitation  against  wh. 
many  antecedent  objections  might  have  been  raised."   (Thomas.) 

"  The  beaming  eye  its  dazzling  light  resumes, 
Soft  on  the  lip  the  tinctured  ruby  blooms ; 
The  beating  pulse  a  keener  ardour  warms, 
And  beauty  triumphs  in  immortal  charms."  (Ogilvie.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— The  holy  dead  not  lost,  but  gone  before. 
Now  sleeping,  and  waiting  for  the  quickening  voice  of  the  Son  of  God.  Wo 
should  be  more  concerned  ab.  the  fact,  than  the  mode,  of  our  r.  As  to  the 
kind  of  body,  whether  the  same,  etc. :  "  God  giveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath 
pleased  Him."  In  Dr.  Brown's  work  on  the  Resurrection  therois  a 
beautiful  parable  from  Halley.  The  story  is  of  a  servant,  who,  receiving 
a  silver  cup  from  his  master,  suffers  it  to  fall  into  a  vessel  of  aqua  Jortis, 
and,  seeing  it  disappear,  contends  in  argument  with  a  fellow-servant  that 
its  recovery  is  impossible,  till  the  master  comes  on  the  scene  and  infuses 
salt-water,  which  precipitates  the  silver  from  the  solution,  and  then,  by 
milting  and  hammering  the  metal,  he  restores  to  its  original  shape. 
With  this  incident,  a  sceptic — one  of  whose  great  stumbling-blocks 
was  the  resurrection — was  so  struck  that  he  ultimately  renounced  his 
opposition  to  the  Gospel,  and  became  a  partaker  of  the  Christian  hope 
of  immortality. 


260  TOPICS   FOR   TEACHERS. 

Judgment.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Day  of  Judgment. — "  God  is  called  '  the  Judge  of  all  the 
earth'  (Ge.  xviii.  25),  and  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  fr.  the  very 
notion  we  are  taught  to  form  of  Him,  that  He  will  righteously  ad- 
minister His  dominions.  In  the  world,  however,  the  ungodly  are  oft. 
seen  to  prosper,  and  the  righteous  to  be  oppressed.  And  this  has 
sometimes  grievously  perplexed  God's  servants,  who  have  not  known 
how  to  reconcile  the  fact  with  His  holy  justice  (Ps.  lxxiii.)  Scripture, 
therefore,  points  onward  to  a  time  when  all  these  apparent  anomalies 
will  be  explained,  when  a  great  assize  will  sit,  and  a  just  recompense 
of  reward  will  be  meted  out  to  men  (Ecc.  xi.  9,  xii.  14 ;  Ac.  xxiv. 
25)."  (T.  B.  K.)  Among  the  proofs  of  a  general  judgment  are — 1.  The 
justice  of  God  requires  it.  Evidently  that  attribute  is  not  clearly 
displayed  in  the  present  dispensation  (2  Thes.  i.  6,  7).  2.  The  accusa- 
tions of  nat.  conscience  are  in  favour  of  this  belief  (Ac.  xxiv.  25;  Ro. 
ii.  1-16).  3.  From  relation  men  stand  to  God,  as  creatures  to  a 
Creator,  He  has  a  right  to  give  them  a  law,  and  make  them  account- 
able for  a  breach  of  it  (Ro.  xiv.  12).  4.  Resurrection  of  Jesus  a 
certain  proof  of  it  (Ac.  xvii.  31 ;  Ro.  xiv.  9).  Arising  out  of  human 
convictions  are  numerous  notions  of  a  judgment  blended  with  heathen 
theories  of  the  future,  and  oft.  pictorially  represented  in  ancient 
sculptures,  etc. 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  J.— Predicted  in  o.  t.  (1  Ch.  xvi.  33 ;  Ps.  ix.  7, 
xcvi.  13;  Ec.  iii.  17).  First  principle  of  Gospel  (Heb.  vi.  2).  Day  appointed 
(Ac.  xvii.  31;  Ro.  ii.  16).  Time  of,  unknown  (Mk.  xiii.  32).  Called,  the 
day  of  wrath  (Ro.  ii.  5  ;  Rev.  vi.  17)  ;  revelation  (Ro.  ii.  5)  ;  day  of  judg- 
ment (2  Pet.  iii.  7)  ;  day  of  destruction  (Job  xxi.  30) ;  great  day  (Jude  6). 
Administered  by  Christ  (Jo.  v.  22,  27;  Ac.  x.  42;  Ro.  xiv.  10;  2  Cor.  v. 
10).  Saints  with  Christ  in  (1  Cor.  vi.  2;  Rev.  xx.  4).  Take  place  at 
coming  of  Christ  (Mat.  xxv.  31 ;  2  Tim.  iv.  1).  Of  heathens  (Ro.  ii.  12,  14, 
15) ;  of  Jews  (Ro.  ii.  12) ;  of  Christians  (Jas.  ii.  12).  Shall  be  held  upon 
all  nations  (Mat.  xxv.  32) ;  all  men  (Heb.  ix.  27,  xii.  23  ;  Rev.  xx.  12 ;  Ec. 
iii.  17).  Quick  and  dead  ^2  Tim.  iv.  1 ;  1  Pet.  iv.  5).  In  righteousness 
(Ps.  xcviii.  9 ;  Ac.  xvii.  31).  Books  at  (Dan.  vii.  10).  Shall  be  of  all  actions 
(Ec.  xi.  9,  xii.  14;  Rev.  xx.  13);  words  (Mat.  xii.  36,  37;  Jude  15); 
thoughts  (Ec.  xii.  14;  1  Cor.  iv.  5).  None,  by  nature,  can  stand  in  (Ps. 
exxx.  3,  cxliii.  2 ;  Ro.  iii.  19).  Saints  shall,  through  Christ  (Ro.  via.  33, 
34).  Christ  will  acknowledge  saints  at  (Mat.  xxv.  35-40;  Rev.  iii.  5). 
Perfect  love  will  give  boldness  (1  Jo.  iv.  17).  Saints  shall  he  rewarded 
(2  Tim.  iv.  8;  Rev.  xi.  18).  Wicked  shall  be  condemned  (Mat.  vii.  22,  23, 
xxv.  41).  Punishment  of  wicked  will  succeed  (Mat.  xiii.  40-42,  xxv.  46). 
Word  of  Christ  shall  be  a  witness  against  the  wicked  (Jo.  xii.  48).  The 
certainty  of,  a  motive  to  repentance  (Ac.  xvii.  30,  31) ;  faith  (Is.  xxviii.  16, 
17);  holiness  (2  Cor.  v.  9,  10;  2  Pet.  iii.  11-14) ;  prayer  and  watchfulness 
(Mk.  xiii.  33J.  Warn  the  wicked  (Ac.  xxiv.  25;  2  Cor.  v.  11);  wicked 
dread  (Ac.  xxiv.  25 ;  Heb.  x.  27).  Neglected  advantages  increase  con- 
demnation (Mat.  xi.  20-24 ;  Lu.  xi.  31,  32).  Devils  condemned  at  (2  Pet. 
ii.  4  ;  Jude  6). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "The  j.-day  a  right- 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHER8.  2G1 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Judgment. 

ing  of  all  the  wrongs  of  ages :  a  solving  of  all  moral  problems  by  an 
unanswerable  wisdom."  {Mrs.  Stowe.)  "The  awful  certainty  of  the  j. 
prophecy,  arising  out  of  its  being  one  of  a  chain  of  predicted  events  (Slat, 
xxii.)  of  wh.  somo  are  now  undoubtedly  certain  because  already  past. 
Suppose  some  gifted  Druid  seor  had  engraven  upon  a  rock  a  minute  pre- 
diction of  the  future  hist,  of  this  island  :  now  suppose  our  ancestors  to  have 
studied  this  record,  and  to  find  that  every  prediction  was  verified  save  one, 
the  time  of  whose  fulfilment  had  not  arrived.  Walking  in  the  tract 
assigned  for  us  by  the  prophetic  inscription,  and  finding  that  all  it  spoke 
progressively  becime  fact,  should  we  doubt  that  the  one  remaining  event 
would  be  accomplished,  aft.  such  overwhelming  proofs  of  the  supernatural 
powers  of  the  seer  who  guaranteed  it  ?  Should  we  not  shape  our  course 
as  confidently  in  view  of  the  unquestionable  future  as  in  ref.  to  the 
unquestionable  past?  In  short,  would  not  that  future  be  already  con- 
sidered in  a  manner  historical,  already  a  fixed  integral  portion  of  the  story 
of  the  nation  ?  It  is  just  thus  we  call  on  you  to  regard  the  great  Prophet's 
announcement  of  the  J.  to  come.  That,  too,  is  predicted,  but  as  one  event 
among  many — among  many  that  are  now  undeniably  certain,  for  they  are 
now  actually  past."    {Archer  Butler.) 

"  And,  oh !  what  change  of  state,  what  change  of  rank, 
In  that  assembly  everywhere  was  seen! 
The  humble-hearted  laughed,  the  lofty  mourned, 
And  every  man,  according  to  his  works 
Wrought  in  the  body,  there  took  character."     (Pollok.) 

"  Imagine  you  see  a  sinner  going  to  hell,  and  his  acquaintances  look  at 
him,  the  angels  shout  at  him,  and  the  saints  laugh  at  him,  and  the  devils 
rail  at  him,  and  many  look  him  in  the  face,  and  they  that  said  they  would 
live  and  die  with  him  forsake  him,  and  leave  him  to  pay  all  the  scores. 
Then  Judas  would  restore  his  bribes,'  Esau  would  cast  up  his  pottage, 
Achan  would  cast  down  his  gold,  and  Gehazi  would  refuse  his  gifts ; 
Nebuchadnezzar  would  be  humbler,  Balaam  would  be  faithful,  and  the 
prodigal  would  be  tame.  Methinks  I  see  Achan  running  about,  'Where 
shall  I  hide  my  gold  that  I  have  stolen,  that  it  might  not  be  seen  nor  stand 
to  appear  for  witness  against  me  ? '  And  Judas  running  to  the  high-priests, 
saying,  '  Hold,  take  again  your  money,  I  will  none  of  it,  I  have  betrayed 
innocent  blood.'  And  Esau  crying  for  the  blessing  when  it  is  too  late, 
having  sold  his  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage.  Herod  shall  then  wish 
he  were  John  the  Baptist,  Pharaoh  that  he  were  Moses ;  and  Saul  wish 
that  he  had  been  David,  Nebuchadnezzar  that  he  had  been  Daniel,  Haman 
to  have  been  Mordecai,  Esau  would  wish  to  be  Jacob,  and  Balaam  would 
wish  he  might  have  died  the  death  of  the  righteous."  (II.  Smith.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — "  The  day  of  revelation  "  (Pollok)  of  cha- 
racter, motive,  aim,  etc.  "The  day  for  which  all  other  days  were  made." 
Each  day  should  be  spent  as  in  the  'light  of  that.  How  will  things  present 
look  then  ?  A  great  decisive  day.  Evil  and  good  eternally  sundered. 
The  sentence  irrevocable.  No  mercy  then,  save  lor  those  who  have  sought 
and  found  mercy  before.     Are  we  ready  ? 


262  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Heaven.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "  By  h.  we  understand  a  state  of  happiness 
infinite  in  degree,  and  endless  in  duration."  {Franklin.)  "  The  joys 
of  H.  are  without  example,  above  experience,  and  beyond 
imagination,  for  wh.  the  whole  creation  wants  a  comparison  ;  we  an 
apprehension  ;  and  even  the  word  of  God  a  revelation."  (Norris.) 
"  Perfect  purity,  fulness  of  joy,  everlasting  freedom,  health  and 
fruition,  complete  security,  substantial  and  eternal  good"  (Hannah 
More.)  "  My  idea  of  h.,"  said  Wilberforce,  "  is  perfect  love  ;"  "  And 
mine,"  said  Robert  Hall,  in  reply,  "  is  perfect  rest."  "  H.  is  the  day 
of  wh.  grace  is  the  dawn  ;  the  rich,  ripe  fruit  of  wh.  grace  is  the 
lovely  flower ;  the  inner  shrine  of  that  most  glorious  temple  to  wh. 
grace  forms  the  approach  and  outer  court."  (Guthrie.)  "  If  one  could 
but  look  a  while  through  the  chinks  of  heaven's  door,  and  see  the 
beauty  and  bliss  of  paradise  ;  if  he  could  but  lay  his  ear  to  II.,  and 
hear  the  ravishing  music  of  those  seraphic  spirits,  and  the  anthems 
of  praise  wh.  they  sing,  how  would  his  soul  be  exhilarated  and  trans- 
ported with  joy !  "    (  Watson.) 

"  The  song 
Of  heaven  is  ever  new ;  for  daily,  thus, 
And  nightly,  new  discoveries  are  made 
Of  God's  unbounded  wisdom,  power,  and  love, 
"Which  give  the  understanding  larger  room, 
And  swell  the  hymn  with  ever-growing  praise."     (Pollolc.) 

H.  is  desc.  negatively,  rather  than  positively.  To  desc.  what  is  would 
be  impossible.  We  should  not  understand  (Jo.  iii.  12).  Dr.  Living- 
stone could  not  tell  the  Africans,  so  as  to  be  comprehended,  what 
England  was  like.  No  words  in  their  dialect  adequate  for  the  pur- 
pose. We  are  told  there  is  no  sin,  no  sorrow,  no  sickness,  no  tears, 
no  death,  etc. 

II.  Bible  Befs.  to  H.— Creation  (Ge.  i.  1  ;  Rev.  x.  6).  Everlasting 
(Ps.  lxxxix.  29  ;  2  Cor.  v.  1).  Immeasurable  (Jer.  xxxi.  37).  High  (Ps.  ciii. 
11;  Is.  lvii.  15).  Holy  (Deu.  xxvi.  15;  Ps.  xx.  6;  Is.  lvii.  15).  God's 
dwelling-place  (1  K.  viii.  30  ;  Mat.  vi.  9) ;  throne  (Is.  lxvi.  1,  c/.Ac.  vii.  49). 
God  the  Lord  of  (Dan.  v.  23  ;  Mat.  xi.  25) ;'  reigns  in  (Ps.  xi.  4  ;  cxxxv.  6  ; 
Dan.  iv.  35)  ;  fills  (1  K.  viii.  27  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  24)  ;  answers  from  (1  Ch.  xxi. 
26  ;  2  Ch.  vii.  14 ;  Neh.  ix.  27  ;  Ps.  xx.  6) ;  judgments  fr.  (Ge.  xix.  24 ;  1  S.  ii. 
10 ;  Dan.  iv.  13,  14  ;  Ro.  i.  18).  Christ,  as  Mediator,  entered  (Ac.  iii.  21  ; 
Heb.  vi.  20,  ix.  12,  24)  ;  all  powerful  in  (Mat.  xxviii.  IS  ;  1  Pet.  iii.  22). 
Angels  in  (Mat.  xviii.  10,  xxiv.  36).  Names  of  saints  written  in  (Lu.  x.  20  ; 
Heb.  xii.  23) ;  rewarded  in  (Mat.  v.  12  ;  1  Pet.  i.  4).  Repentance  causes  joy 
in  (Lu.  xv.  7) ;  treasure  in  (Mat.  vi.  20  ;  Lu.  xii.  33).  Flesh  and  blood  not 
inherit  (1  Cor.  xv.  50).  Happiness  of  (Rev.  vii.  16,  17).  Is  called  garner 
(Mat.  iii.  12);  kingdom  of  Christ  and  God(Ep.  v. 5)  ;  Father's  house  (Jo.  xiv. 
2) ;  heavenly  country  (Heb.  xi.  16)  ;  rest  (Heb.  iv.  9)  ;  Paradise  (2  Cor.  xii. 
2,  4))  ;  wicked  excluded  fr.  (Gal.  v.  21 ;  Ep.  v.  5 ;  Rev.  xxii.  15).  Enoch 
and  Elijah  translated  into  (Ge.  v.  24,  cf.  Heb.  xi.  5  ;  2  K.  ii.  11). 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  263 


Theology]  TRUE  RELIGWX.  [Heaven. 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— To  John  Evans,  an 

old  Welsh  minister,  his  wife  oner  said,  "  Do  you  think  we  shall  he  known 
to  ea.  other  in  h.  ?"  "To  be  sure  we  shall,"  said  he.  "Do you  think  we 
shall  be  greater  tools  there  than  we  are  here  ?"  and  he  presently  added,  "But, 
Margaret,  1  may  be  a  thousand  years  by  your  side  in  h.  without  having 
sei  n  you  ;  for  the  first  thing-  that  will  attract  my  notice  when  I  arrive  there 
will  be  my  dear  Saviour,  and  I  cannot  tell  when  I  shall  be  for  a  moment 
induced  to  look  at  any  other  object."  ( Whitecross.)  "  I  must  confess,  as  the 
experience  of  my  own  soul,  that  the  expectation  of  loving  my  friends  in  h. 
principally  kindles  my  love  to  them  on  earth.  If  I  thought  I  should  never 
know  them,  and,  consequently,  never  love  them  aft.  this  life  is  ended,  I 
should  in  reason  number  them  with  temporal  things,  and  love  them  as  such  ; 
but  I  now  delightfully  converse  with  my  pious  friends,  in  a  firm  persuasion 
that  1  shall  converse  with  them  for  ever  ;  and  I  take  comfort  in  those  of 
them  who  are  dead  or  absent,  as  believing  I  shall  shortly  meet  them  in 
heaven,  and  love  them  with  a  love  wh.  shall  then  be  perfected."  {Baxter.) 
"  1  envy  no  quality  of  mind  or  intellect  in  others  —  not  genius,  power,  wit, 
or  fancy  ;  but  if  I  could  choose  what  would  be  most  delightful,  and  I  be- 
lieve most  useful  to  me,  I  should  prefer  a  firm  religious  belief  to  every 
other  blessing,  for  it  makes  life  a  discipline  of  goodness,  creates  new  hopes 
when  all  earthly  hopes  vanish,  and  throws  over  the  decay,  the  destruction 
of  existence,  the  most  gorgeous  of  all  lights;  awakens  life  even  in  death, 
and  from  corruption  and  decay  calls  up  beauty  and  divinity  ;  makes  an 
instrument  of  torture  and  shame  the  ladder  of  ascent  to  paradise  ;  and  far 
above  all  combination  of  earthly  hopes,  calls  up  the  most  delightful  visions, 
palms,  and  amaranthus,  the  gardens  of  the  blessed,  the  security  of  ever- 
lasting joys,  where  the  sensualist  and  sceptic  view  only  gloom,  decay,  and 
annihilation."     {Sir  II.  Davy.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — h.  a  prepared  place  for  a  prepared  people. 

"  The  golden  palace  of  my  God 
Towering  above  the  clouds  I  see  ; 
Beyond  the  cherubs'  bright  abode, 
Higher  than  angels'  thoughts  can  be! 
How  can  I  in  those  courts  appear 
Without  a  wedding  garment  on  ? 
Conduct  me,  thou  Life-giver,  there — ■ 
Conduct  me  to  thy  glorious  throne  ! 
And  clothe  me  with  thy  robes  of  light, 
And  lead  me  through  sin's  darksome  night."     (Boivring.) 

In  the  deepening  twilight  of  a  summer  evening  a  pastor  called  at  the 
residence  of  one  of  his  parishioners,  and  found,  seated  in  the  doorway,  a 
little  boy  with  both  hands  extended  upward,  holding  a  line.  "  What  are 
you  doing  here,  my  little  friend  ? "  inquired  the  minister.  "Flying  my 
kite,  sir"  was  the  prompt  reply.  "Flying  your  kite!"  exclaimed  the 
pastor;  "lean  see  no  kite;  you  can  see  none."  "  I  know  it,  sir,"  re- 
sponded the  lad ;  "  I  cannot  see  it,  but  I  know  it  is  there,  for  I  fet  I  ■  t  pull." 
If  our  affections  are  set  upon  things  above  we  shall  have  sense  of  it  which 
cannot  be  mistaken.     ( bate's  Ency.) 


264  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Hell.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Christian 

I.  Definitions,  etc. — "  H  is, — truth  seen  too  late."  (Adams.)  "A 
■world  where  sin  and  truth  are  seen  thoroughly ;  you  want  no  other 
H."  (Binney.) 

"It  is  full  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
When  truth,  resisted  long,  is  sworn  our  foe, 
And  calls  eternity  to  do  her  right."  (Young.) 

"It  cannot,  then,  he  doubted  that  the  character  of  ungodliness  with 
"wh.  the  lost  spirit  leaves  this  world  is  perpetuated  to  the  state  of 
being  that  follows  it."  (Archer  Butler.)  "The punishments  of  H.  are 
but  the  perpetual  vengeance  that  accompanies  the  si>is  of  H.  An 
eternity  of  wickedness  brings  with  it  an  eternity  of  woe.  The  sinner 
is  to  suffer  for  everlasting,  but  it  is  because  the  sin  itself  is  as  ever- 
lasting as  the  suffering."  (Ibid.)  It  is  objected  "eternal  punishment 
is  too  long  as  a  penalty  for  the  sins  of  a  short  life ;  none  but  God  can 
judge  here.  The  important  question  is,  Was  the  transgressor  duly 
notified?  He  is  in  a  foreign  land,  and  is  made  fully  acquainted  with 
a  law  and  its  penalty,  wh.  he  thinks  is  exceedingly  severe.  The  go- 
vernment, however,  have  special  reasons  for  the  enactment;  but  he 
prefers  the  risk  of  the  penalty  to  the  loss  of  a  certain  benefit,  and  is 
without  excuse,  for  he  transgressed  with  his  eyes  open.  .  .  .  We 
prob.  never  heard  it  objected  to  eternal  salvation  that  it  is  too  long 
to  be  the  consequence  and  reward  of  this  brief  life."  (N.  Adams.) 
"If  there  be  a  paradise  for  virtues,  there  must  be  a  H.  for  crimes. 
No  less  doth  H.  contribute  to  publish  God's  omnipotency,  than  para- 
dise. As  heaven  is  furnished  with  stars,  H.  shall  be  with  the  damned, 
and  the  justice  of  the  sovereign  will  no  less  appear  in  tbe  condemna- 
tion of  the  culpable  than  in  the  defence  of  the  innocent."  (Caussin.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  H. — Described  as  place  of  torment  (Lu.  xvi.  23; 
Rev.  xiv.  10,  11) ;  everlasting  punishment  (Mat.  xxv.  46) ;  fire  (41) ;  burn- 
ings (Is.  xxxiii.  14) ;  furnace  of  fire  (Mat.  xiii.  42,  50) ;  lake  of  fire  (Rev. 
xx.  15);  fire  and  brimstone  (Rev.  xiv.  10);  unquenchable  fire  (Mat.  iii. 
12);  devouring  (Is.  xxxiii,  14);  prepared  for  devil,  etc.  (Mat.  xxv.  41); 
devils  confined  in  (2  Pet.  ii.  4 ;  Jude  6)  ;  punishment  of,  eternal  (Is. 
xxxiii.  14;  Rev.  xx.  10) ;  wicked  shall  he  turned  into  (Ps.  ix.  17) ;  human 
power  cannot  preserve  fr.  (Ez.  xxxii.  27) ;  body  suffers  in  (Mat.  v.  29,  x. 
28) ;  soul  suffers  in  (28) ;  wise  avoid  (Pr.  xv.  24)  ;  try  to  keep  others  from 
(xxiii.  14;  Jude  23) ;  society  of  wicked  leads  to  (Pr.  v.  5,  ix.  18);  the 
beast,  false  prophets,  and  the  devil  cast  into  (Rev.  xix.  20,  xx.  10) ;  powers 
of,  cannot  prevail  ag.  church  (Mat.  xvi.  18) ;  illustrated  (Is.  xxx.  33.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— h.  a  painful,  yet 

necessary  subject.  If  the  doclrine  of  heaven  may  he  called  salvation  by 
attraction,  no  less  may  that  of  hell  he  termed  salvation  by  repulsion.  As 
no  tongue  can  tell  the  glories  of  heaven,  so  neither  can  any  describe  tho 
woes  of  hell. 

"A  dungeon,  horrible  on  all  sides  round, 
As  one  great  furnace  flam'd,  yet  from  those  flames 


TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS.  235 

Theology.]  TRUE  RELIGION.  [Hell. 

No  light,  but  rather  darkness  visible, 
Serv'il  only  to  discover  sights  of  woe, 
Regions  of  sorrow,  doleful  shades,  where  peace 
And  rest  can  never  dwell,  hope  never  comes 
That  comes  to  all."  {Milton.) 

"  I  saw  that  there  was  a  way  to  h.  even  from  the  gates  of  heaven."  (Bun- 
yan.)  One  may  be  almost  saved,  and  yet  altogether  lost.  One  of  the 
saddest  reflections  of  the  lost  will  be  that  they  were  once  nearly  saved. 
They  had  light,  convictions,  etc.,  but  did  not  yield  to  the  Spirit  of  truth. 
"Then  I  i-aw  in  mj  dream  that  the  Shepherds  had  them  to  another  place, 
in  a  bottom,  where  was  a  door  in  the  side  of  a  hill ;  and  they  opened  the 
door,  and  bid  them  look  in.  They  looked  in,  therefore,  and  saw  that  with- 
in it  was  very  dark  and  smoky ;  they  also  thought  that  they  heard  a 
rumbling  noise,  as  of  fire,  and  a  cry  of  some  tormented,  and  that  they 
smelt  the  seent  of  brimstone.  Then  said  Christian,  What  means  this  ? 
The  Shepherd  to  them,  This  is  a  by-way  to  hell,  a  way  that  hypocrites  go 
in  at ;  namely,  such  as  sell  their  birthright,  with  Esau;  such  as  se.l  their 
master,  with  Judas;  such  as  blaspheme  the  Gospel,  with  Alexander;  and 
such  as  lie  and  dissemble,  with  Ananias  and  Sapphira."  (B'wyan.)  "A 
rebel  who  hath  stabbed  an  earthly  prince  but  once,  and  deeply  repents  of 
his  crime,  is  mercifully  dealt  with  if  he  be  imprisoned  for  life,  were  he  to 
live  a  thousand  years.  An  impenitent  sinner  hath  risen  against  the 
Majesty  of  Heaven  a  million  of  times,  and  '  crucifie  1  the  Prince  of  Life 
afresh,'  for,  it  may  be,  ten,  twenty,  forty  years.  What  is  more,  he  goes 
on  still  in  his  rebellion ;  and  his  talk  of  repenting  to-morrow  is  only  a 
contrivance  to  sin  with  more  cheerfulness  to-day.  Now,  if  he  die  in  this 
state,  shall  God  be  unjust  in  condemning  him  for  life  to  the  prison  of  hell, 
and  punishing  with  infinite  woe  sins  committed  against  an  infinite 
Majesty— sins  from  -which  he  should  have  been  deterred  by  considerations 
of  infinite  force;  in  short,  sins  in  which  he  would  have  lived  for  ever  had 
not  death  interposed  ?  "  (J.  Fletcher.) 

"A  black  and  hollow  vault, 

Where  day  is  never  seen ;  there  shines  no  sun, 

But  flaming  horror  of  consuming  fires  ; 

A  lightless  sulphur,  chok'd  with  smoky  fogs 

Of  an  infected  darkness."  (John  Ford.) 

"  At  last  appear 

Hell's  bounds,  high  reaching  to  the  horrid  roof; 

And  thrice  three-fold  the  gates ;  three  folds  were  brass, 

Three  iron,  three  of  adamantine  rock, 

Impenetrable,  impal'd  with  circling  fire, 

Yet  unconsumed."  (Milton.) 
TV.  Practical  Hints. — Salvation  is  now  possible.  Divine  mercy 
places  it  within  your  reach.  Presently — if  mercy  be  rejected — the  doors 
■will  be  shut — the  door  of  heaven  against  you,  the  door  of  hell  upon  you. 
"  Why  will  ye  die  ?  "  "  Seek  Him  while  He  may  be  found,  call  upon  Him 
while  He  is  near."  Why  delay  F  Folly  of  thinking  of  more  convenient 
seasons,  or  in  resting  in  being  almost  persuaded.  How  many  of  the  lost 
would,  if  they  could  return  to  earth,  make  or  find  a  convenient  season ! 
To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  His  voice. 


2G6  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 


I.  Descriptive,  etc. — All  the  special  pleading  of  the  scientific 
has  not  been  able  to  disprove  the  Mosaic  ace.  of  the  creation,  while 
the  most  ably  conducted  investigations  are  all  of  them  confirmatory 
of  the  ])ivine  record.  "  If  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God — nay,  if, 
taking  lower  ground,  and  less  defensible,  the  Bible  contains  the  word 
of  God,  it  is  inconceivable,  it  is  repugnant  to  the  very  nature  of  the 
thing,  that  it  should  commence  with  a  mere  legend,  the  baseless 
speculation  of  some  Heb.  dreamer."  (T.  B.  K.)  In  66  passages  of  the  _ 
N.  T.  the  first  eleven  chaps,  of  Bk.  of  Gen.  are  quoted  or  ref.  to. 
"  The  inference  I  would  draw  fr.  this  circumstance  is,  that  our  Lord 
and  His  apostles  regarded  these  11  chaps,  as  hist,  documents  worthy 
of  credit,  and  that  they  made  use  of  them  to  establish  truths — a  thing 
they  never  would  have  done  had  they  not  known  them  to  be  autho- 
ritative." (Pratt's  Scrip,  and  Science  not  at  variance.)  Still,  though 
historical,  "it  may  be  a  record  of  appearances;  i.e.,  the  events  are 
optically  desc,  such  as  they  would  appear  to  a  spectator  on  surface 
of  earth."  (See  Challis's  Creation  in  Plan  and  Progress.)  No  space 
here  to  describe  all  the  successive  processes  or  steps.  (For  wider  in- 
formation, see  M-Call,  Aids  to  Faith  ;  D.  B.  N.  S.,  i.  1  ff. ;  Birk's 
Bible  and  Mod.  Thought.)  The  theory  (embraced  and  defended 
by  Hugh  Miller,  Testimony  of  the  Rocks)  that  successive  geological 
epochs  correspond  with  successive  days  of  Genesis,  is  rendered  doubt- 
ful by  more  recent  research.  "  It  may,  however,  be  distinctly 
repeated  that  we  have  proof;  the  rocks  afford  us  proof,  not  to  be 
gainsaid,  of  the  interference  of  a  Divine  hand.  There  are  endings 
and  there  are  beginnings  manifested,  the  close  of  one  epoch  and  the 
commencement  of  another ;  not  an  uninterrupted  chain,  but  links 
broken  off,  and  a  fresh  series  apparent.  Truly  in  all  this  we  may 
say,  The  finger  of  God  is  hei'e."  ( T.  B.  K. ;  see  also  Chalmers's  Nat* 
Theo.,  ii.  2.) 

"  The  heavens  are  a  point  from  the  pen  of  His  perfection, 
The  world  is  a  rosebud  from  the  power  of  His  beauty, 
The  sun  is  a  spark  from  the  light  of  His  wisdom, 
And  the  sky  a  bubble  on  the  sea  of  His  power."     {Sir  W.  Jones.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  C— Defined  (Ro.iv.  17,  cf.  Heb.  xi.  3).  Effected 
by  God  (Ge.  i.  1,  ii.  4,  5 ;  Pr.  xxvi.  10) ;  Christ  (Jo.  i.  3,  10 ;  Col.  i.  16) ; 
Holy  Ghost  (Job  xxvi.  13;  Ps.  civ.  30) ;  by  command  of  God  (xxxiii.  9; 
Heb.  xi.  3) ;  in  beginning  (Ge.  i.  1 ;  Mat.  xxiv.  21) ;  six  days  (Ex.  xx.  11, 
xxxi.  17) ;  ace.  to  God's  purpose  (Ps.  exxxv.  6) ;  for  God's  pleasure  (Pr. 
xvi.  4;  Rev.  iv.  11);  for  Christ  (Col.  i.  16).  We  believe,  to  be  God's 
work  (Heb.  xi.  3).  Order  of:  First  day,  light  (Ge.  i.  3-5;  2  Cor.  iv.  6); 
second,  firmament  (Ge.  i.  6-8) ;  third,  separating  land  fr.  water  (i.  9-13) , 
fourth,  placing  the  sun,  etc.,  to  give  fight,  etc.  (i.  14-19) ;  fifth,  birds, 
insects,  and  fishes  (i.  20-23) ;  sixth,  beasts  and  man  (i.  24,  28).  The 
seventh  day  (ii.  2,  3).  Apprgved  (i.  31).  Joy  to  angels  (Job  xxxviii.  7). 
Exhibits  Deity  of  God  (Ro.  i.  20) ;  power  (Is.  xl.  26,  28 ;  Ro.  i.  20) ; 
glory  and  handy  work  (Ps.  xix.  1) ;  wisdom  (civ.  24,  exxxvi.  5) ;  goodness 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHEKS.  267 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  |  Creation. 

(xxxiii.  5)  ;  God  the  object  of  worship  (Is.  xlv.  16,  cf.  18;  Ac.  xvii.  21, 
27).  Glorifies  God  (Ps.  cxlv.  10;  cxlviii.  5).  To  be  praised  for  (Neh.  ix. 
6;  Ps.  exxxvi.  3-9).  Leads  to  confidence  (Ps.  exxiv.  8;  cxlvi.  5,  6). 
Insignificance  of  man  seen  fr.  (Ps.  viii.  3,  4;  Is.  xl.  12,  17).  Groaneth 
because  of  sin  (Ho.  viii.  22).  Illustrative  of  the  new  birth  (2  Cor.  v.  17  ; 
Ep.  ii.  10).  Renewal  of  saints  (Ps.  li.  10;  Ep.  iv.  24).  Renewal  of  earth 
(Is.  lxv.  17;  2  Pet.  iii.  11,  13). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— "  The  Bk.  of  nature 
and  the  Bk.  of  God  have  the  same  infallible  Author.  Thus  they  cannot 
contradict  ea.  other.  The  highest  purpose  to  wh.  man  can  devote  the 
powers  of  his  mind  is  to  acquaint  himself  with  God — to  examine  the  two- 
fold revelation,  humbly  but  thankfully,  with  the  new  of  ascertaining  what 
it  makes  known  of  the  person  and  works  of  its  Divine  Author. .  .  All  who 
hold  by  the  Scriptures  as  inspired  by  the  Spirit  of  God  have  reallv  nothing 
to  fear  for  the  progress  of  the  sciences."  (J).  B.  N.  S.,  i.  1.)  The  world 
thus  created  was  made  for  man.  The  grandest  step  ever  taken,  in  so  far 
as  man  knows,  in  the  direction  of  the  Divine  self-manifestation,  was 
realized — "  God  made  man."  In  virtue  of  his  spiritual  nature— eternal, 
and  with  a  capacity  for  fellowship  even  with  Him  whose  throne  is  set 
above  the  riches  of  the  universe— he  stands  forth  invested  with  a  deeper 
interest  than  all  geological  changes,  or  even  than  the  creation  of  the  forms 
of  life  at  whose  head  he  was  put : — 

"  For  though  the  giant  ages  heave  the  hill, 

And  break  the  shore,  and  ever  more 

Make  and  break  and  work  their  will ; 

Though  worlds  on  worlds  in  myriad  myriads  roll 

Bound  us,  each  with  different  powers. 

And  other  forms  of  life  than  ours — 

What  know  we  greater  than  the  soul  ?"  (Tennyson.) 
"  We  are  raised  by  science  to  an  understanding  of  the  infinite  wisdom  and 
goodness  wh.  the  Creator  has  displayed  in  all  His  works.  Not  a  step  can 
we  take  in  any  direction  without  perceiving  the  most  extraordinary  traces 
of  design,  and  the  skill  everywhere  conspicuous  in  so  vast  a  proportion  of 
instances  to  promote  the  happiness  of  living  creatures,  and  esp.  of  ourselves, 
that  we  feel  no  hesitation  in  concluding  that  if  we  knew  the  whole  scheme 
of  Providence,  every  part  would  appear  in  harmony  with  a  plan  of  absolute 
benevolence."  (Lord  Brow/ham.)  "  What  profusion  is  there  in  His  work  ! 
When  trees  blossom  there  is,  not  a  single  breast-pin,  but  a  whole  bosom 
fall  of  gems ;  and  of  leaves  they  have  so  many  suits  that  they  can  throw 
them  away  to  the  winds  all  summer  long.  What  unnumbered  cathedrals 
has  He  reared  in  the  forest  shades,  vast  and  grand,  full  of  curious  carvings, 
and  haunted  evermore  by  tremulous  music  ;  and  in  the  heavens  above,  how 
do  stars  seem  to  have  flown  out  of  His  hand  faster  than  sparks  out  of  a 
mighty  forge."     (Beeclur) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — "  Nature  is  but  the  name  for  an  effect,  whose 
cause  is  God."  "  He  can  create,  and  He  destroy."  Stand  in  awe  of  Hia 
power.    He  is  mighty  to  save. 

"  'Twas  great  to  speak  a  world  from  nought, 
But  greater  to  redeem." 


268  TOPICS    FOB    TEACHERS. 

Deluge.]  CESTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 

I.  Definitions,  etc. —  'Whether  the  flood  -was  universal  or 
partial  has  given  rise  to  much  controversy ;  but  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  it  was  universal  so  far  as  man  -was  concerned  :  we  mean 

"-* — —~r;  "'^^\  that  it  extended  to  all  the  then  known 

#-       -       ,-T|»         world.    The  literal  truth  of  the  narra- 
tion obliges  us  to  believe  that  the  whole 
jSjjjB        human    race,    except    eight    persons, 
|^EB— _  perished  bv  the  waters  of  the  flood  " 
vmm^T-    (Smith,  O.'T.Hut.,  27).  Our  Lord  refs. 
—  —  '     -sg=""  to  it  as  historically  true  (Mat.  xxiv. 
Ark-  37  ;  Lu.  xvii.  26).   St.  Peter  also  refs.  to 

it  (1  Pet.  iii.  20;  2  Pet.  ii.  5);  so  also  does  St.  Paul  (Heb.  xi.  7).  "  It 
is  nat.  to  suppose  that  the  writer,  when  he  speaks  of  'all  flesh,'  '  all 
in  whose  nostrils  was  the  breath  of  life,'  refs.  only  to  his  own  locality. 
This  sort  of  language  is  com.  enough  in  the  Bible  when  only  a  small 
part  of  the  globe  is  intended.  Thus,  for  instance,  it  is  said  that  '  all 
countries  came  into  Egypt  to  Joseph  to  buy  corn ';  and  that  '  a  decree 
went  out  fr.  Caesar  Augustus  that '  all  the  icorld  should  be  taxed.'  In 
these  and  many  similar  passages  the  expressions  of  the  writer  are 
obviously  not  to  be  taken  in  an  exactly  literal  sense.  Even  the  ap- 
parently very  literal  phrase,  '  all  the  high  hills  that  were  under  the 
tchole  heaven  were  covered,'  may  be  matched  by  another  precisely 
similar,  where  it  is  said  that  God  would  put  the  fear  and  the  dread 
of  Israel  upon  every  nation  under  heaven.  The  truth  of  the  Biblical 
narrative  is  confirmed  by  the  numerous  traditions  of  other  nations  [C. 
D.  O.  T,  13  ;  K.  D.  B.  I,  i.  148],  wh.  have  preserved  the  memory  of 
a  great  and  destr.  flood,  fr.  wh.  but  a  small  part  of  mankind  escaped. 
They  seem  to  point  back  to  a  com.  centre,  whence  they  were  carried 
by  the  dif.  fam.  of  man,  as  they  wandered  east  and  west."  (Ibid, 28.) 
"  Of  the  covenants,  that  made  with  Noah  on  behalf  of  his  desc.  is 
the  first ;  and  it  may  be  called  the  covenant  of  God's  forbearance, 
under  wh.  man  lives  to  the  end  of  time.  It  repeated  the  promise 
that  the  world  should  not  be  again  destr.  by  a  flood ;  and  it  was 
ratified  by  the  beautiful  sign  of  the  rainbow  in  the  cloud,  a  natural 
phenomenon  suited  to  the  natural  laws  of  whose  permanence  it  was 
the  token."     ( Ibid,  29.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  D—  Reason  of  (Ge.  vi.  5-7,  11-13,  17).  Called 
flood  (Ge.  ix.  28)  ;  waters  of  Noah  (Is.  liv.  9).  Noah  -warned  (Ge.  vi.  13  ; 
Heb.  xi.  7).  Long-suffering  of  God  (Ge.  vi.  3,  ef.  1  Pet.  iii.  20)  ;  wicked 
warned  (iii.  19,  20;  2  Pet.  ii.  5).  Noah,  etc.,  saved  (Ge.  vi.  18-22,  vii. 
13,  14).  Date  of  commencement  (vii.  11)  ;  suddenly  (Mat.  xxiv.  38,  39). 
Caused  by  forty  davs'  rain  (Ge.  vii.  4,  12,  17) ;  opening  of  fountains  (vii. 
11).  Increased  (vii.  17,  18).  Extreme  height  (vii.  19,  20).  Time  of 
increase  and  prevailing  (vii.  24).  Abatement  (viii.  1,  2).  Decrease 
(viii.  3,  5).  Date  of  removal  (viii.  13).  Destruction  effected  (vii.  23). 
Face  of  earth  changed  (2  Pet.  iii.  5,  6).  Traditional  notice  (Job  xxii. 
15-17).     It  shall   never  again  occur  promised  (Ge.  viii.  21,  22)  ;  confirmed 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  2G9 

Links  ]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Deluge. 

(ix.  9-11);  rainbow  (ix.  12-17);  God's  faithfulness  (Is.  liv.  9,  10). 
Illustrates  destruction  of  sinners  (Fs.  xxxii.  6  ;  Is.  xxviii.  2,  18)  ;  baptism 
(1  Pet.  iii.  20,  21) ;  suddenness  of  Christ's  coming  (Mat.  xxiv.  3G-39  ;  Lu. 
xvii.  26,  27-30). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  All  man's  thoughts, 

all  his  desires,  all  his  purposes  are  evil,  expressly  or  by  implication  ;  because 
the  subject  of  them  is  avowedly  sinful,  or  because  they  do  not  proceed  fr. 
a  holy  principle,  or  are  not  directed  to  a  proper  end.  It  is  not  occasionally 
that  the  human  soul  is  thus  under  the  influence  of  depravity,  but  this  is  its 
habit  and  state.  It  seems  impossible  to  construct  a  sentence  wh.  should 
more  distincly  express  its  total  corruption  than  Ge.  viii.  21."  (Dick.)  This 
is  yet  the  world's  habit  and  state,  but  God,  who  is  long-suffering,  spares 
it,  in  remembrance  of  His  promise,  whereof  in  the  rainbow  we  have  the 
sign. 

"  Behold  !  the  rainbow's  many  clouded  arch 

Springs  from  the  vale,  and  sweeps  the  skies  above, 

A  splendid  path,  where  angel-shapes  might  march 

Sublimely  earthward,  messengers  of  love  ! 

Oh  !  glorious  spectacle !     Oh !  sacred  shrine, 

By  matchless  mercy  unto  mortals  given  ! 

How  Noah  must  have  loved  thy  hues  divine, 

When  first  o'er  Ararat  he  saw  thee  shine  ; 
Limn'd  by  the  hand  of  God  upon  the  front  of  heaven." 

(Prince.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— 1.  In  the  destruction  of  the  wicked  see  God'a 
hatred  of  sin.  2.  In  preservation  of  Noah,  see  the  safety  of  the  good.  3. 
In  the  rainbow,  see  the  sign  of  God's  faithfulness,  and  the  remembrancer  of 
a  promise  that  we  might  forget ;  and  the  banner  of  mercy  that  we  might 
neglect.     4.  Have  we  a  place  in  the  true  ark  of  safety  ? 


[Addenda. — Noah's  Ark. — This  vessel,  which  took  a  hundred  years  in 
building,  was,  according  to  Bp.  Wilkins,  547  English  feet  long,  91  broad, 
and  54  high.  It  contained  72,625  tons!  It  rested  on  Mt.  Ararat.  Struy 
says  that  the  air  upon  the  mountain  being  so  unvarying  is  the  reason  that 
the  ark  Iirs  endured  so  long  without  being  rotten.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Maurice 
speaks  of  an  astronomical  library  in  Noah's  ark  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Davies, 
author  of  the  Celtic  Researches,  of  the  regularity  of  Noah's  Log-book 
(p.  43)  ;  and  the  Talmudists,  those  illumines,  that  Noah  had  no  other 
light  in  the  ark  than  jewels  and  pearls  to  study  his  nautical  almanac  and 
requisite  tables  by.  We  all  know  the  characteristic  variety  of  French- 
men. Here  is  it  still  further  exemplified.  When  Bonaparte  sent  an 
embassy  of  twenty-one  persons  to  the  Persian  court,  ia  1807,  Ihe  ambassa- 
dor, in  his  progress,  at  length  arrived  at  Mount  Ararat,  where  "l'ambas- 
sadeur  a  l'idee  d'eleverun  monument  a  l'empereur.  II  rant  graver  sur  une 
pierre  du  cote  de  la  Perse  le  nom  de  Napoleon."  (Journal  d'un  Voyage  dans 
la  Perse,  §c.  Paris,  1809.)  Sir  Thomas  Browne  has  a  fine  answer  to  the 
oppugners  of  the  Scriptural  deluge,  in — "  That  there  was  a  deluge  once 
eeema  not  to  me  so  great  a  miracle  as  that  there  is  not  one  always."] 

Vol.  n.— 18 


270  topics  for  teachers. 

Dispersion.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 

I.  Descriptive,  etc. — "  Men  never  leave  their  abodes  in  masses 
except  under  the  pressure  of  necessity  or  compulsion;  and  that  pres- 
sure was  supplied  by  the  interposition  of  God  to  defeat  a  daring 

scheme   by   wh.  men  aimed  to  make 

themselves  independent  of  Him.  .  .  . 

Soon  that  idea  sprung  up  in  their  minds, 

wh.  has  been  the  dream  of  man  in  every 

age, — an    universal    empire,    with    a 

-jg-_  mighty   city   for   its  capital;      In   the 

B    blindness  of  their  pride,  they  fancied 

2L  that  when  thus  banded  together  they 

_  _??  might  defy  God  Himself,  and  defeat  His- 

Tower  of  Babel.  wise  design  of  dispersing  them  over  the 

earth  (Ge.  xi.  4).     God  saw  the  danger  of  their  scheme,  and  willed 

that  no  such  power  should  ever  be  established.     The  attempt  has 

been  made  thrice  on  that  very  spot  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  Cyrus,  and 

Alexander.    It  has  been  repeated  in  the  empire  of  the  Romans,  and  in 

its  attempted  revival  by  Charlemagne   and  Napoleon,  but  in  ea.  case 

God  has  come  down  to  confound  the  scheme.*'  (Smith,  O.  T.  Hist.,  40.) 

"  Heroes  and  kings,  obey  the  charm, 

Withdraw  the  proud,  high-reaching  arm  ; 

There  is  an  oath  on  high 
That  ne'er  on  brow  of  moital  birth 
Shall  blend  again  the  crowns  of  earth, 

Nor,  in  according  cry, 
Her  many  voices  mingled  own 
One  tyrant  lord,  one  idol  throne ; 

But  to  His  triumph  soon 
He  shall  descend,  who  rules  above, 
And  the  pure  language  of  His  love 

All  tongues  of  men  shall  tune."  (Kcble.) 

This  confusion  of  speech  has  oft.  been  regarded  as  a  cause  of  origin 
of  dif.  languages.  Prob.  some  of  the  more  marked  diffs.  in  thegreat 
fams.  of  languages  were  thus  caused.  "  But  it  does  not  follow  that 
languages  were  then  formed  as  they  exist  now,  and  the  comparative 
grammarian  may  trace  up  the  beautiful  laws  wh.  show  the  very  opp. 
of  confusion,  without  fearing  to  contradict  the  true  sense  of  the  Scrip- 
ture narrative." 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Languages. — At  first  one  (Ge.  xi.  1,  6).  Called 
speech  (Mk.  xiv.  70  ;  Ac.  xiv.  11) ;  tongue  (Ac.  i.  19  ;  Bev.  v.  9).  Confusion 
of,  a  punishment  for  presumption,  &c.  (Ge.  xi.  2-6) ;  originated  the  varie- 
ties in  (xi.  7) ;  scattered  men  over  the  earth  (8,  9) ;  divided  men  into  sepa- 
rate nations  (x.  5,  20,  31) ;  great  variety  of,  spoken  by  men  (1  Cor.  xiv. 
10).  Languages  named:  Hebrew  (2  K.  xviii.  28;  Ac.  xxvi.  14);  Chaldee 
(Dan.  i.  4) ;  Syriac  (2  K.  xviii.  26  ;  Ezr.  iv.  7) ;  Greek  (Ac.  xxi.  37);  Latin 
(Lu.  xxiii.  38);  Lycaonian  (Ac.  xiv.  11)  :  Arabic,  etc.  (ii.  11)  ;  Egyptian 
(Ps.  lxxxi.  5,  cxiv.  1 ;  Ac.  ii.  10) ;  some  difficult  (Ez.  iii.  5,  6) ;  barbarian, 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  271 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Dispersion. 

those  who  spoke  a  strange  (1  Cor.  xiv.  11).  Power  of  speaking  different,  a 
gift  of  H.  Ghost  (xii.  10) ;  promised  (Mk.  xvi.  17) ;  given  on  day  of  Pen- 
tecost (Ac.  ii.  3,  4) ;  followed  receiving  gospel  (x.  44,  46) ;  conferred  by 
laving  on  of  hands  (viii.  17,  IS,  xix.  6) ;  necessary  to  spread  gospel  (ii. 
7-11) ;  sign  to  unbelievers  (1  Cor.  xiv.  22) ;  abused  (2-12,  23).  Interpreta- 
tion of ';  antiquity  of  engaging  persons  for  (Ge.  xlii.  23) ;  a  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  (1  Cor.  xii.  10)  ;  most  important  in  the  early  church  (xiv.  5,  13,  27, 
28)  ;  the  Jews  punished  by  being  given  up  to  people  of  a  strange  (Deu. 
xxviii.  49;  Is.  xxviii.  11  ;  Jer.  v.  15.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— God's  plan  effected. 

Man  cannot  prevent  execution  of  Divine  purpose.  God  could  doubtless 
have  fulfilled  His  purpose  some  other  way.  He  was  pleased  to  do  it  this 
way.  Confounded  speech,  the  instrument  by  wh.  they  had  defied  Him, 
and  encouraged  ea.  other  in  their  rebellion.  World's  speech  confounded 
t<>  this  day.  But  speech  is  more  confounded  by  man's  sin  than  by  Divine 
judgments.  (Lying,  backbiting,  slander,  profane  swearing,  sinful  jesting, 
smiling,  etc.  etc.)  Of  many  a  man  it  may  be  said,  "Thy  speech  bewray- 
eth  thee."  "  Speech  is  commonly  judged  the  truest  character  of  the  mind, 
and  the  surest  test  of  inward  worth,  as  that  wh.  discloseth  the  hidden  man 
of  the  heart,  wh.  unlocketh  the  closet  of  the  breast,  wh.  draws  the  soul  out 
of  the  dark  recesses  into  open  light  and  view,  wh.  rendereth  our  thoughts 
visible,  and  our  intentions  palpable."  {Barrow.)  "Give  not  thy  tongue 
too  great  a  liberty,  lest  it  take  thee  prisoner.  A  word  unspoken  is  like  the 
sword  in  the  scabbard,  thine ;  if  vented,  thy  sword  is  in  another's  hand. 
If  thou  desire  to  be  held  wise,  be  so  wise  as  to  hold  thy  tongue."   (Quarks.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Speech,  man's  most  precious  natural  gift, 
the  lasting  sign  of  an  ancient  sin,  and  of  God's  anger.  The  thing  wo 
prize  most  may,  by  its  abuse,  become  our  reproach.  That  wh.  was  abond 
of  union  and  strength — one  common  speech — becomes  a  source  of  dissen- 
sion and  weakness  ;  so  one  blessing  ma)-  be  turned  into  curses.  There  can 
be  but  one  universal  kingdom — are  we  the  subjects  of  it?  And  only  one 
King — do  we  serve  Him? 

[Addenda. — Language  must  either  have  been  revealed  from  heaven,  or  it 
is  the  fruit  of  human  invention.  The  latter  opinion  is  embraced  by 
Horace,  Lucretius,  Cicero,  and  most  of  the  Gk.  and  Rom.  writers ;  the 
fonner  by  the  Jews  and  Christians,  and  the  profoundest  philosophers  of 
France  and  England.  It  has  been  affirmed  that  Heb.  was  the  language 
spoken  by  Adam;  but  others  deny  this,  and  say  that  the  Heb.,  Chaldee, 
and  Arab,  are  only  dialects  of  the  original,  long  lost  and  unknown.  Of 
the  Heb.,  the  Chaldee  and  Syriac  are  dialects.  The  original  European 
Ls.  were  13  (viz.,  Greek,  Latin,  Dutch,  Sclavonian,  spoken  in  the  E. ;  Welsh  ; 
Biscayan,  spoken  in  Spain  ;  Irish  ;  Albanian,  in  the  mountains  of  Epirus  ; 
Tartarian,  the  old  Illyrian  ;  the  Jazyyian,  remaining  yet  in  Liburnia ;  tho 
Chaucin,  in  the  north  of  Hungary  ;  and  the  Finnic,  in  east  Friesland). 
Arabic  is  the  mother  tongue  of  Africa.  From  the  Latin  sprang  the  Italian, 
French,  and  Spanish  ;  and  from  the  Spanish,  the  Portuguese.  The  Turkish 
is  a  mixed  dialect  of  the  Tartarian.  From  the  High  Dutch,  or  Teutonic, 
sprang  the  present  German,  Danish,  Swedish,  Norwegian,  English,  Scotch, 
etc.  There  are  3,664  known  La.,  or  rather  dialects,  in  the  world  (737 
Asiatic,  587  European,  276  African,  1,624  American).] 


272  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Abrahamic  Covenant.]        CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 

I.  Descriptive,  etc. — When  God  promised  Abram  a  son,  He  gave 
him  a  sign  (the  sky  studded  with  stars) ;  then,  on  his  believing1  (Ge. 
xv.  1-6),  a  covenant  was  added.  In  this  c.  Abram  stood  to  God  in  re- 
lation of  father  of  faithful,  as  Noah  (q.v.)  stood  for  all  the  race.  The 
usual  forms  were  minutely  observed.  A  victim  (or  more)  was  slain 
in  sacrifice,  and  equally  divided,  and  the  parts  being  placed  over 
against  ea.  other,  the  contracting  parties  passed  down  betw.  them. 
The  ceremony  clearly  sig.  the  equality  of  the  contract,  its  religious 
character,  and  the  penalty  due  to  its  violation.  In  this  case  God's 
presence  was  indicated  by  the  fire  that  passed  betw.  the  divided  sacri- 
fice; Abram  having  already  passed  betw.  them  (Ge.  xv.  17,  cf.  Heb. 
ix.  16,  17).  The  promise  was  very  minute,  and  included — 1.  Bondage 
for  400  yrs.  (Ge.  xv.  13).  2.  Deliverance,  and  overthrow  of  oppres- 
sors (14).  3.  Return  to  promised  land,  in  fourth  generation  (17). 
The  limits  of  that  land  were  defined  (18-21).  At  a  later  period  this 
C.  was  renewed,  and  the  sign  of  circumcision  was  added  (xvii.  1),  by 
wh.  rite  the  whole  fam.  of  Abraham  was  included  in  the  C.  (Smith, 
O.  T.  Hist.  ;  Kelly,  Divine  Covenants.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Covenants.— Definition  (Ge.  xxvi.  28 ;  Dan. 
xi.  6).  Purpose,  friendship  (1  S.  xviii.  3) ;  assistance  in  war  (1  K.  xv.  18, 
19) ;  protection  (Ge.  xxvi.  28,  29,  xxxi.  50-52)  ;  peace  (Jos.  ix.  15,  16) ; 
commerce  (1  K.  v.  6-11);  trade  (Ge.  xxiii.  14-16).  Terms  specified  (1  S. 
xi.  1,  2) ;  confirmed  (Ge.  xxi.  23,  31 ;  xxvi.  31) ;  witnessed  (xxiii.  17, 
18  ;  Ru.  iv.  9-11) ;  written  and  sealed  (Neh.  ix.  38  ;  x.  1).  God  called  to 
witness  (Ge.  xxxi.  50,  53)  ;  unalterable  (Gal.  iii.  15).  Passing  betw.  pieces 
of  sacrifices  (Ge.  xv.  9-17  ;  Jer.  xxxiv.  18,  19).  Salt  a  sign  of  (Nu. 
xviii.  19  ;  2  Ch.  xiii.  5).  Joining  of  hands  (Pr.  xi.  21  ;  Ez.  xvii.  18}. 
Feast  (Ge.  xxvi.  30,  xxxi.  54).  Presents  (xxi.  27-30  ;  1  S.  xviii.  3,  4). 
Pillars  (Ge.  xxxi.  45,  46).  Places  where  made  (xxi.  31,  xxxi.  47-49). 
The  Jews  not  to  make,  with  Canaanites  (Ex.  xxiii.  32  ;  Deu.  yii.  2)  ; 
made  with  others  (1  K.  v.  12;  2  K.  xvii.  4)  ;  condemned  for  making  (Is. 
xxx.  2-5  ;  Hos.  xii.  1)  ;  regarded  as  sacred  (Jos.  ix.  16-19  ;  Ps.  xv.  4). 
Violated  (Ro.  i.  31;  2  Tim.  iii.  3).  Illustrates  marriage  (Mai.  h.  14); 
God's  promises  (Ge.  ix.  9  11;  Eph.  ii.  12)  ;  determination  of  people  to 
serve  God  (2  K.  xi.  17  ;  2  Ch.  xv.  12  ;  Neh.  x.  29)  ;  good  resolutions  (Job 
xxxi.  1)  ;  (with  death  and  hell),  carnal  security  (Is.  xxviii.  15,  18)  ;  (with 
stones  and  beasts),  peace  and  prosperity  (Job  v.  23  ;  Hos.  ii.  18). 

III. — Bible  Refs.  to  New  C. — Christ  substance  of  (Is.  xlii.  6, 
xlix.  8).  Mediator  of  (Heb.  viii.  6,  ix.  15,  xii.  24).  Messenger  of  (Mai. 
iii.  1).  Made  with  Abraham  (Ge.  xv.  7-18,  xvii.  2-14;  Lu.  i.  72-75;  Ac. 
iii.  25;  Gal.  iii.  16);  Isaac  (Ge.  xvii.  19,  21,  xxvi.  3,  4);  Ja<x>b 
(xxviii.  13,  14.  cf.  1  Ch.  xvi.  16,  17)  ;  Israel  (Ex.  vi.  4;  Ac.  iii.  25)  ; 
David  (2  S.  xxiii.  5;  Ps.  lxxxix.  3,  4).  Renewed  (Jer.  xxxi.  31-33  ;  Ro. 
xi.  27;  Heb.  viii.  8-10,  13).  Fulfilled  (Lu.  i.  68-79).  Confirmed  (Gal. 
iii.  17).     Ratified  (Heb.  ix.  11-14,  16-23).     A  covenant  of  peace  (Is.  liv. 

9,  10;  Ez.   xxxiv.  25,  xxxvii.  26).     Unalterable  (Ps.  lxxxix.  34;   Is.  liv. 

10,  lix.  21  ;   Gal.  iii.  17).     Everlasting  (Ps.  cxi.  9,  lv.  3,  lxi.  8  ;   Ez.  xvi. 
60-63  ;  Heb.  xiii.  20).      Saints  interested  in  (Ps.  xxv.  14,  lxxxix.  29-37; 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  273 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Abrahamic  Covenant. 

Heb.  viii.  10).  "Wicked  no  interest  in  (Ep.  ii.  12).  Blessings  conn,  with 
(Is.  lvi.  4-7  ;  Heb.  viii.  10-12).  God  faithful  to  (Deu.  vii.  9  ;  1  K.  viii. 
23  ;  Neh.  i.  5  ;  Dan.  ix.  4).  God  mindful  of  (Ps.  cv.  8,  cxi.  5  ;  Lu.  i.  72). 
Be  mindful  (1  Ch.  xvi.  15).  Forgetting  (Deu.  iv.  23).  Plead,  in  prayer 
(Ps.  lxxiv.  20  ;  Jer.  xiv.  21).     Despising  (Heb.  x.  29,  30). 

IV.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— The  truths  revealed 
in  the  c.  were — I.  The  appearance  of  the  promised  seed  in  line  of  Abra- 
ham. 2.  The  ultimately  unrestricted  nature  of  the  benefits  this  e.  revealed. 

3.  Special  relation  of  God  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  (also  his  spiritual  seed). 

4.  Acceptance  with  God  set  forth  in  clearer  light.  (Kelly.)  God  selected 
Abraham  "  to  be  the  progenitor  of  a  race  of  men  who  might  be  the  deposi- 
tary of  divine  truth  and  the  heirs  of  divine  promise,  in  whom,  too,  God's 
great  purpose  of  mercy  to  the  world  might  be  typified  and  furthered  ;  the 
earthly  blessings  with  them  prognosticating,  and  giving  earnest  of,  and  in 
a  sense  shaping,  the  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings  of  a  better  future 
covenant."  (T.  B.  E.)  After  all,  the  cs.  with  Noah  (Ge.  ix.  8,  9),  with 
Abram,  and  David  (Ps.  lxxxix.  3,  4)  were  not  so  much  distinct  cs.  as  re- 
newals of  the  promises  of  the  everlasting  c,  coupled  with  certain  temporal 
favours,  as  types  and  pledges  of  the  fulfilment  of  these  promises.  God's 
covenant  with  man  is  a  gracious  engagement  on  part  of  God  to  communi- 
cate certain  unmerited  favour  to  men,  in  connection  with  a  particular  con- 
stitution or  system,  through  means  of  which  these  favours  are  to  be 
enjoyed.  Hence,  in  Scripture,  the  covenant  of  God  is  called  His 
"  counsel,"  His  "  oath,"  His  "  promise."     (W.  L.  Alexander.) 

V.  Practical  Hints. — Great  condescension  in  adopting  a  human 
form  for  ratification  and  illustration  of  His  promise.  That  promise  was 
literally  kept.  Are  we  of  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham  ?  If  so,  we  are 
heirs  of  the  "  better  country."  Let  us  walk  worthy  of  Him  who  hath 
called  us. 


[Addenda. — Covenanters,  a  name  particularly  applied  to  those  persons 
who  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  took  the  solemn  league  and  covenant,  thereby 
mutually  engaging  to  stand  by  each  other  in  opposition  to  the  projects  of 
the  king;  it  was  entered  into  in  1638.  The  covenant  or  league  between 
England  and  Scotland  (the  preceding  one  modified)  was  adopted  and 
solemnly  received  by  parliament,  Sept.  25,  1643  ;  and  was  accepted  by 
Charles  II.  in  1650,  but  repudiated  by  him  on  his  restoration  in  1661, 
when  it  was  declared  to  be  illegal  by  parliament,  and  copies  of  it  ordered 
to  be  burnt  all  over  England.  It  consisted  of  six  articles  :  1.  The  preser- 
vation of  the  reformed  church  in  Scotland,  and  the  reformation  of  religion 
in  England  and  Ireland.  2.  The  extirpation  of  popery,  prelacy,  schism, 
etc.  3.  The  preservation  of  the  liberties  of  parliament  and  the  king's 
person  and  authority.  4.  The  discovery  and  punishment  of  all  malig- 
nants,  etc.  5.  The  preservation  of  "  a  blessed  peace  between  these  king- 
doms." 6.  The  assisting  of  all  who  enter  into  the  covenant.  "  This  will 
we  do  as  in  the  sight  of  God."] 


274  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 


I.  Descriptive,  etc.— (See  Egypt,  Sinai,  Red  Sea,  Moses,  etc.) 
The  E.  closed  430  yrs.  of  pilgrimage  of  Hobs.,  fr.  call  of  Abram  out  of 
Uz.  "  Having  learned  the  discipline  of  God's  chosen  fam.,  and  having 


Red  Ska,  opp.  Jebel  Atakah. 
been  welded  by  the  hammer  of  affliction  into  a  nation,  they  were  now- 
called  forth,  under  the  prophet  of  Jehovah,  alike  fr.  the  bondage  and 
the  sensual  pleasures  of  Egypt,  to  receive  the  laws  of  their  new  state 
amidst  the  awful  solitude  of  Sinai."  [The  reader  should  consult  and 
compare  B.  D.  S.,  80  ff.  ;  Smith's  O.  T.  Hist.,  124  ff.;  and  map  of 
Goshen,  etc.,  in  Thornley  Smith's  3Ioses  and  his  Times,  150.]  The 
mound  El-Abbaseych  in  wady  El-Tumeylat,  prob.  =  Rameses,  30  m. 
direct  fr.  head  of  Red  Sea — a  3  dy-V  journey  for  the  vast,  mixed, 
and  encumbered  multitude,  who  had  certain  deviations  to  make  fr. 
line  of  march.  By  marching  S.  they  "  they  voluntarily  imposed 
upon  themselves  the  necessity  for  crossing  a  gulf  wh.  they  might 
easily  have  avoided.  It  was  this  singular  position  into  wh.  they  had 
brought  themselves,  or  into  wh.  Moses  had  brought  them,  that 
rendered  their  extrication  so  apparently  impossible.  Had  any 
general  done  so  with  his  army,  his  conduct  would  be  imputed  to 
madness,  or  ignorance  of  the  country.  Bur  Moses  knew  the  region 
well.  He  had  more  than  once  gone  to  Sinai  fr.  Egypt,  and  was 
acquainted  with  the  way.  He  could  not  but  know  that  he  was  mis- 
leading Israel,  unless  he  was  conscious  of  a  direct  Divine  guidance, 
— guidance  wh.  for  the  time  superseded  and  overruled  his  own 
judgment.  His  object  was  to  reach  the  Sinaitic  desert ;  he  knew 
the  way  ;  he  had  the  safety  of  two  millions  to  consult  for ;  yet  he 
turns  away  fr.  Sinai,  and  throws  a  broad  sea  betw.  it  and  Israel. 
But  he  was  acting  under  the  command  of  God.  Ten  miracles  had 
already  stricken  Egypt  to  the  heart,  but  another  was  needed  still. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


275 


Links.] 


CESTRAL  FACTS. 


[Exodus. 


Her  firstborn  had  perished,  but  her  peers  and  princes  remained. 
This  last  miracle  is  aimed  at  them.  It  was  needed  to  overthrow  the 
last  relics  of  a  nation's  pride,  and  to  overawe  them  in  time  to  come. 
It  was  needed  to  strike  alarm  into  the  nations  around  ;  and  to  give 
Israel  one  proof  more  of  what  God  was  ready  to  do  in  their  behalf." 
(B.  D.  S.,  84.) 

II.  Bible  References  to  Exodus.— Commencement  (Ex.  xii. 
41,  42)  ;  number  commencing  (Ex.  xii.  37)  ;  healthy  state  (Ps.  cv.  37)  ; 
multitude  accompanied  (Ex.  xii.  38  ;  Nu.  xi.  4)  ;  in  haste  (Ex.  xii.  39). 
Under  God's  guidance  (xiii.  21,  22,  xv.  13;  Neh.  ix.  12;  Ps.  lxxviii. 
52  ;  Is.  lxiii.  11-14);  protection  (Ex.  xiv.  19,  20,  cf.  Ps.  cv.  39  ;  Ex.  xxiii. 
20,  cf.  Ps.  lxxviii.  53)  ;  from  Rameses  (Ex.  xii.  37).  To  Succoth  (xii.  37 ; 
Nu.  xxxiii.  5).  To  Etham  (xiii.  20  ;  Nu.  xxxiii.  6).  Betw.  Baalzephon 
and  Fihahiroth  (Ex.  xiv.  2  ;  Nu.  xxxiii.  7)  ;  overtaken  (Ex.  xiv.  9)  ;  ex- 
horted to  look  to  God  (xiv.  13,  14) ;  the  cloud  removed  to  the  rear 
(xiv.  19,  20)  ;  sea  divided  (xiv.  16,  21).  Through  the  Red  Sea 
(xiv.  22,  29) ;  faith  in  passing  (Heb.  xi.  29) ;  Pharaoh  and  host  destroyed 
(xiv.  23-28  ;  Ps.  cvi.  11).     Israel's  song  (Ex.  xv.  1-21 ;  Ps.  cvi.  12). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions— (C.  D.  0.  T,  ill). 
A  night  to  be  remembered.  God  gives  songs  in  the  night.  The  setting 
sun  revealed  their  danger,  a  supernatural  light  their  way  of  escape.  The 
light  of  reason  and  conscience  shows  us  our  peril ;  the  light  of  revelation 
— esp.  Christ,  the  true  light — points  out  way  of  escape.  If  God  leads  and 
commands,  Israel  must  march  and  obey.  God  employs  a  miracle,  and  men 
use  their  endeavours.  If  He  send  His  Son  to  save  us,  we  also  must  do 
something — watch,  seek,  pray,  believe,  and  obey.  Israel  saved  by  the 
mighty  hand  of  God — salvation  for  us. 


Onward,  then,  right  onward, 

This  our  watchword  still, 
Till  we  reach  the  glory 

Of  the  wondrous  hill. 
Now,  for  the  journey  girded, 

We  hasten  on  our  way, 
The  pillar-cloud  above  us, 

Our  guide  by  night  and  daj 
The  sky  is  burning  o'er  us, 

Beneath,  the  burning  soil ; 
But  God,  our  God,  shall  keep  ui 

In  heat  and  thirst  and  toil." 
(Bonar.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Obedience  to  God  the  way  of  safety  in  th< 
time  of  danger. 


:  Safe  across  the  waters, 

Here  in  peace  we  stand, 
See  the  wrecks  of  Egypt 

Strewed  along  the  sand. 
Safe  across  the  waters, 

Foes  for  ever  gone, 
Now  we  march  in  safety, 

God  our  guide  alone. 
'Tis  the  silent  desert, 

Sand  and  rock  and  waste ; 
But  the  chain  is  broken, 

And  the  peril  past. 


■  Though  dark  be  my  way, 

Since  He  is  my  guide, 
'Tis  mine  to  obey  ; 

'Tis  His  to  provide  ; 
Though  cisterns  be  broken, 

And  creatures  all  fail, 
The  word  He  hath  spoken 

Shall  surely  prevail. 


His  love  in  time  past 

Forbids  me  to  think 
He'll  leave  me  at  last 

In  trouble  to  sink  : 
Each  sweet  Ebenezer 

I  have  in  review 
Confirms  His  good  pleasure 

To  help  me  quite  through." 
C  \ewton.) 


276 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Conquest  of  Canaan.] 


CLWTR.'.L  fAClS. 


[Connecting 


I.  Descriptive,  etc.— The  morn.  aft.  return  of  the  two  spies 
Joshua  prepared  to  enter  Canaan.  Passage  of  Jordan  effected  loth 
day  of  Nisan  (=   April,  B.  c.  1451)  ^four  dys.    aft.  the  Passover  was 

kept  for  first  time  since 
Exodus,  40  yrs.  hef. 
(Jos.  iv.  19,  v.  10). 
After  the  fall  of  Jeri- 
cho (Heh.  xi.  30),  and 
the  repulse  at  Ai  (Ge. 
xii.  8),  Achan  was 
punished  (Jos.  vii.  25, 
cf.  xxii.  20),  and  a 
second,  and  this  time 
successful,  attack 
upon  Ai  (viii.  1-29) 
gave  access  to  open 
country  in  centre  of 
Palestine.  First  stage 
of  conquest  concluded 
with  the  ceremony  at 
mts.  Ebal  and  Gerizim, 
q.v.  (viii.  30-35).  A 
league  ag.  Josh,  was 
now  formed  by  the 
kings  (xi.  1,  2)  ;  Gibeon,  seeking  peace  by  stratagem  (x.),  was  aft. 
punished  with  servitude.  The  Gibeonites  formed  the  class  called 
Nethinim.  The  battle  of  Bethhoron  (q.v.)  was  foil,  by  conquest  of 
seven  kings  (x.  28-39).  In  this  one  campaign  (x.  42,  at  one  time) 
Josh,  subdued  the  S.  half  of  Palestine,  and  led  his  army  back  to 
Gilgal.  His  next  attack  was  directed  ag.  the  N.,  where,  at  Merom 
(q.v.),  he  defeated  Jabin,  and  then  took  Hazor  (xi.  10-14).  This  third 
campaign  put  Israel  in  possession  of  the  whole  land  fr  mt.  Seir,  in  the 
S.,  to  Baal-gad,  nr.  Hermon,  in  the  N.  But  the  subjugation  of  the 
numerous  kings  occ.  much  time  (xi.  18).  It  was  five  or  six  yrs.  (xi. 
23,  cf  xiv.  6,  15 ;  Caleb  was  40  years  old  in  1490,  and  85  at  end  of 
war)  bef.  the  land  rested  fr.  war  (b.  c.  1445).  Even  then  there  was 
a  dying  resistance  in  many  parts.  The  results  of  the  whole  conquest, 
besides  the  previous  victories  over  Sihon  and  Og,  are  summed  up  in 
the  subjugation  of  31  kings  of  cities  W.  of  Jordan,  belonging  to  the 
seven  nations  named  in  the  prom,  to  Abraham  (Jos.  xii.),  and  the 
giant  Anakim  were  exterminated  (xi.  21,  22),  who  had  so  terrified 
the  spies,  and  were  only  left  in  Philistine  cities  of  Gaza,  Gath,  and 
Ashdod. 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Canaanites.— Descended  from  Ham  (Ge. 
x.  6).  Accursed  race  (ix.  25,  26).  Different  families  of  (x.  15-18).  Seven 
distinct  nations  (Deu.  vii.    1).     Possessions  of  (Ge.  x.  19).     Country  of 


The  site  of  anc.  Jericho  is  placed  hy  Robinson 
(R.  B.  R.,  i.  552-556)  nr.  the  fount  of  Elisha,  and 
that  of  the  Jericho  of  N.  T.  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Wady  Kelt  (Cherith)  ab.  1£  m.  fr.  fount. 


TOPICa    FOR    TEACTIER8.  277 

.Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Conquest  of  Canaan. 


(Ex.  iii.  17;  Nu.  xiii.  27)  Described  as  great  (xiii.  28;  Deu.  vii.  1); 
idolatrous  (xxix.  17)  ;  superstitious  (xviii.  9-11)  ;  profane  (Lev.  xviii. 
27).  Numerous  (Deu.  vii.  17).  Strong  cities  (Nu.  xiii.  28;  Deu.  i. 
28).  Expelled  for  wickedness  (ix.  4,  xviii.  12).  Abraham  called  to 
dwell  among  (Ge.  xii.  1-5)  ;  promised  the  country  of  (xiii.  14-17,  xv. 
18,  xvii.  8)  ;  his  faith  tried  by  dwelling  among  (xii.  6,  xiii.  7). 
Kind  to  patriarchs  (xiv.  13,  xxiii.  6).  Israel  commanded  to  make  no 
league  with  (Deu.  vii.  2  ;  Jud.  ii.  2)  ;  not  to  intermarry  (Deu.  vii.  3  ;  Jos. 
xxiii.  12)  ;  follow  idols  of  (Ex.  xxiii.  24 ;  Deu.  vii.  25)  ;  follow  customs  of 
(Lev.  xviii.  26,  27)  ;  to  destroy  (Deu.  vii.  2,24)  ;  to  destroy  their  idolatry 
(Ex.  xxiii.  24;  Deu.  vii.  6,  25)  ;  not  to  fear  (Deu.  vii.  17,  18,  xxxi.  7). 
Terrified  at  the  approach  of  Israel  (Ex.  xv.  15,  16,  cf.  Jos.  ii.  9-11,  and 
v.  1).  Partially  subdued  by  Israel  (Jos.  x.,  xi.,  cf.  Jud.  i.)  Part 
of,  left  to  try  Israel  (Jud.  ii.  21,  22,  iii.  1-4)  ;  chastise  Israel  (Nu.  xxxiii. 
65  ;  Jud.  ii.  3,  iv.  2).  Israel  ensnared  by  (ii.  3,  19  ;  Ps.  cvi.  36-38). 
Some  desc.  of,  in  our  Lord's  time  (Mat.  xv.  22  ;    Mk.  vii.  26). 

III.  Moral     and    Religious     Suggestions.  —  Conquest   of 

Canaan  may  ill.  the  conquest  of  evil.  The  evil  is  a  usurper  in  the  world, 
in  human  institutions,  and  in  the  human  soul.  Like  the  Canaanite,  every 
form  of  evil,  though  some  are  of  gigantic  proportions,  is  deservedly  doomed. 
Work  of  subjugation  delegated  to  the  church.  The  church  will  conquer 
the  world.  Evil  offers  a  stubborn  and  prolonged  resistance.  Evil  combi- 
nations. No  mercy  should  be  shown  ;  no  truce  should  be  signed.  "  Little 
by  little  "  they  are  "to  be  subdued.  Their  redoubtable  leader  will  be  beaten 
down  under  our  feet  shortly.  Meanwhile,  every  inch  of  ground  is  to  be 
contested  with  indigenous  sins  and  rooted  habits.  Eeclaimed  ground  to 
be  cultivated  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord.  Plants  of  righteousness  and  the 
rose  of  Sharon  to  be  tended,  etc.  With  perseverance  success  is  sure.  The 
Lord  giveth  us  the  victory,  and  at  length  the  heavenly  Canaan  will  be 
ours. 

"  There  is  a  land  where  everlasting  suns 
Shed  everlasting  brightness ;  where  the  soul 
Drinks  from  the  living  streams  of  love  that  roll 
By  God's  high  throne !    Myriads  of  glorious  ones 
Bring  their  accepted  offering.     Oh  !  how  blest 
To  look  from  this  dark  prison  to  that  shrine, 
To  inhale  one  breath  of  Paradise  divine, 
And  enter  into  that  eternal  rest 
Which  waits  the  sons  of  God !"  (Bowring.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Are  we  among  the  soldiers  of  Christ  ?  Self- 
conquest  the  greatest  victory  (Pr.  xvi.  32).  Spiritual  foes  the  greatest 
enemies.  Results  of  victory  on  either  side — eternal.  Trust  in  Jesus,  and 
be  faithful  unto  death. 

"  Though  painful  at  present,  'twill  cease  before  long, 
And  then,  oh  how  pleasant  the  conqueror's  song." 

(Newton.) 


278 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHER8. 


Division  of  Kingdom.]        CENTRAL  FACTS. 


[Connecting 


I.  Descriptive,  etc.  {C.  D.  O.  T.,  224;  Topics,  248,  250.)— 
Soon  aft.  Solomon's  death  Ahijah's  prediction  (I  K.  xi.  29-40)  was 
verified,  and  the  kingdom,  greatly  weakened  by  the  division,  formed 
separate  KS.  of  Judah  and  Israel*.     As  the  first  effect  of  Jeroboam's 

religious  revolt,  all  the 


KINGS  OF  JUDAH  AND  ISRAEL. 


Judah. 


Israel. 


Rehoboam 

Abijah 

Asa  , 

Jehoshaphat 

Jehorain 

Ahaziah 

Athaliah 

J  cash 

Amaziah 

Uzziah 

Jotham 

Ahaz 

Hezekiah 


Amon 

Josiah 

Jehoahaz 

Jehoiakim 

Jehoiacbin 

Zedekiah 


1    Jeroboam 

2.  Nadab 

3.  Baasha 

4.  Elah 

5.  Zimri 

6.  Orari 

7.  Ahab 

8.  Ahaziah 

9.  Jehoram 

10.  Jehu 

11.  Jehoahaz 

12.  Jehoash 

13    Jeroboam  II. 

14.  Zachariab. 

15.  ShaUum 

16.  Menaheni 

17.  Pekaliiah 

18.  Pekah 

19.  Hoshea 


priests  and  Levites  were 
driven  to  Jerusalem  (2 
Ch.  xi.  13,  14)  "With 
the  line  'of  David  re- 
mained God's  promise  of 
permanent  kingdom, 
made  doubly  sure  by  its 
ultimate  ref.  to  the 
Messiah;  in  that  fam. 
the  crown  was  handed 
on,  gen.  fr.  father  to 
son,  while  in  Israel 
the  dynasty  of  Jeroboam 
ended  with  his  son  ;  and 
there  foil,  a  series  of 
murders  and  usurpa- 
tions, amidst  wh.  the 
longest  dynasties,  those  of  Omri  and  Jehu,  only  num.  4  or  5  ks.  ea." 
Moral  superiority  of  Judah  noticeable.  Israel  given  up  to  idolatry  ; 
Jehovah  worshipped  at  Jerusalem.  Their  final  fate  also  presents  a 
contrast.  Israel  captive  130  yrs.  sooner  than  Judah.  "  And  while 
the  10  tribes  never  returned  to  their  land,  and  only  a  scattered 
remnant  of  them  shared  the  restoration  of  Judah,  the  latter  became 
once  more  a  small  but  powerful  nation,  not  free  fr.  faults  of  fathers, 
but  worshipping  God  with  a  purity  and  serving  Him  with  an  heroic 
zeal  unequalled  since  the  days  of  Joshua,  and  preparing  for  the 
restoration  of  the  true  spiritual  kingdom  under  the  last  great  Son  of 
David."  (Smith.)  Generally  the  hist,  of  two  kingdoms  is  div.  into 
3  periods :  (1)  Fr.  div.  to  deaths  of  ks.  of  Judah  and  Israel  by  hand 
of  Jehu,  B.C.  884.  (2)  Thence  to  cap.  of  Israel  by  Shalmaneser,  B.C. 
721.     (3)  Hist,  of  Judah  to  cap.  at  Babylon,  B.C.  586. 

II.  Men  and  Events. — During  the  existence  of  the  two  kingdoms 
there  occurred  some  of  the  most  remarkable  events,  and  lived  some  of  the 
most  influential  men  of  Jewish  hist.  In  this  period  lived  the  principal  of  the 
prophets,  including  Elijah  and  Elisha ;  it  was  an  era  marked  by  the  revival 
of  idolatry,  followed  by  its  overthrow  by  Elijah,  and  its  subsequent 
punishment  by  foreign  invasion,  conquest,  and  captivity, 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— The  great  and  rich 

kingdom  of  Solomon  weakened  by  division,  and  consequent  jealousy  and 
rivalry.  The  two  kingdoms  successively  the  prey  of,  and  finally  conquered 
by,  neighbouring  nations.     A  kingdom  divided  against  itself,  etc.     Same 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  279 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Division  of  Kingdom. 


truth  applies  to  families  and  churches.  "  Divisions  are  Satan's  powder- 
plots  to  blow  up  religion."  "  Men's  hearts  ought  not  to  he  set  against 
one  another,  but  S9t  with  one  another,  and  all  against  the  evil  thing  only." 
[Carlyle.)  "Separate  the  atoms  wh.  make  the  hammer,  and  ea.  would  fall 
on  the  stone  as  a  snow-flake ;  but  welded  into  one,  and  wielded  by  the  firm 
arm  of  the  quarryman,  it  will  break  the  massive  rocks  asunder.  Divide 
the  waters  of  Niagara  into  distinct  and  individual  drops,  and  they  would 
be  no  more  than  the  falling  rain,  but  in  their  united  body  they  would 
quench  the  fires  of  Vesuvius,  and  have  some  to  spare  for  the  volcanoes  of 
other  mountains."  {Guthrie.)  Who  can  tell  what  would  have  been  Israel's 
history  had  the  whole  nation  been  true  to  its  God  ?  Yet  even  its  strifes, 
dissensions,  and  idolatries  were  overruled  for  the  outworking  of  His  plans 
who  maketh  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  Him. 

IV.  Practical  Hints. — Union  is  strength.  Better  submit  to  a 
wrong,  for  the  sake  of  union  and  peace,  than  by  active  measures  against  it 
incur  the  weakness  arising  fr.  dissension.  A  patient  waiting  for  Reho- 
boam's  reconsideration,  or  for  his  successor,  might  have  preserved  the 
unity  of  the  nation.  "Ye  have  need  of  patience."  "A  soft  answer 
turneth  away  wrath."  God  in  Christ  the  centre  of  true  union.  We  are 
one  in  Him.  The  nearer  to  Him  the  nearer  to  each  other. 
"  0  King  of  Salem,  Prince  of  Peace, 

Bid  strife  among  Thy  subjects  cease ; 

One  is  our  faith,  and  one  our  Lord, 

One  body,  spirit,  hope,  reward  ; 

One  God  and  Father  of  us  all, 

All  whom  Thy  church  and  people  call : 

O  may  we  one  communion  be, 

One  with  each  other,  one  in  Thee."         (Cotterill.) 

"  An  aged  father,  when  dying,  called  his  sons  around  his  bed,  and,  in 
order  to  show  them  the  necessity  of  union  among  themselves,  he  com- 
manded a  bundle  of  sticks,  which  he  had  provided,  to  be  brought  before 
him.  Beginning  with  the  eldest,  he  requested  him  to  break  the  bundle  of 
sticks.  He  could  not.  The  next  was  called,  and  so  on  down  to  the 
youngest.  All  failed  :  upon  which  the  old  man  cut  the  cord  which  bound 
the  sticks  together,  and  they  were  easily  broken,  one  by  one.  Love  is  the 
cord  which  binds  Christians  together.  Disunity  is  that  which  destroys 
them."  "  The  union  of  Christians  to  Christ  their  common  Head,  and,  by 
means  of  the  influence  which  they  derive  from  Him,  one  to  another,  may 
be  illustrated  by  the  loadstone ;  it  not  only  attracts  the  particles  of  iron  to 
itself  by  the  magnetic  virtue,  but,  by  this  virtue,  it  unites  them  one  among 
another."  {Cecil.)  "How  beautiful  is  the  sight  of  the  union  of  great 
minds,  diversified  though  they  may  be  in  many  points,  and  that  diversity 
even  obvious  to  observers.  But  the  union  of  high  and  noble  sentiments  is 
so  strong  and  close  that  the  differences  only  appear  as  the  background  of 
a  fine  picture,  giving  greater  prominence  of  expression  to  the  leading 
characteristics  of  the  scene."     {Bates  Ency.) 


280 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Captivities.J 


CENTRAL  FACTS. 


[Connecting 


I.  Descriptive,  etc.— (Israel.)  Shalinaneser  marched  ag.  Israel, 
overran  the  country,  and  beseiged  Samaria  (b.c._  723,  in  7th  jr.  of 
Hoshea,  4th  of  Hezekiah)  (2  K.  xvii.  5,  xxiii.  6),  and  took  it  aft 


siege  of  3  yrs.  (Is.  xxviii.  1-4;  2  K.  xvii.  5).  The  people,  as  usual 
in  warfare  at  that  time,  were  carried  away  prisoners.  Those  of  N. 
and  E.  of  Jordan  had  been  already  carried  away  by  Tiglath-Pileser 
(2  K-  xxi.  13);  ace.  to  Josephus  {Ant.  ix.  14,  1),  all  the  people  were 
transplanted.  The  10  tribes  never  returned  as  a  distinct  people: 
thus  ended  kingdom  of  Israel,  having  lasted  255  yrs.  (975-721 ),  under 
19  kings.  Of  those  departed,  little  known  ;  accustomed  to  idolatry, 
their  absorption  into  surrounding  pop.  easy ;  having  no  care  for  re- 
ligion, their  little  motive  for  preserving  their  history.  They  furnished 
no  confessors  and  martyrs  like  Daniel  and  "  the  three  children."  The 
first  Jewish  exiles  were  prob.  settled  in  same  districts  with  Israelites  ; 
and  aft.  Ezekiel  addresses  all  as  Israel  (Ez.  xxxvii.  15-28,  cf.  Is.  xi. 
13,  16).  Prob.  the  best  of  Israel  was  amalgamated  with  Judah,  and 
either  shared  in  the  restoration,  or  became  part  of  the  "dispersion," 
whom  St.  James  addresses  as  "the  twelve  tribes"  (i.  1,  cf.  Jo.  vii.  35; 
Ac.  xxvi.  7;  1  Pet.  i.  1).  (Judah.)  1st  cap.:  Nebuchadnezzar  (b.c. 
605)  took  Jerusalem  (Dan.  i.  I),  dethroned  Jehoiachin,  and  having 
directed  that  a  number  of  royal  and  noble  Heb.  youths  should  be 
trained  in  learning  of  Chaldees,  Daniel  and  "  the  three  children  " 
were  among  those  selected.  2nd  cap.  :  Jerusalem  again  surrendered 
to  Nebuchadnezzar  (B.C.  598)  10,000  captives,  among  whom  are 
Ezekiel,  and  grandfather  of  Mordecai  (J.,  Ant.  x.  6,  3  ;  Est.  ii.  56). 
3rd  cap.  :  Those  now  carried  away  were  the  gleanings  of  those  led 
off  with  Jehoiachin.  In  Jeremiah  (Hi.  28,  30)  they  are  called  Jews, 
to  dis.  fr.  foreigners,  etc.,  who  shared  their  cap.  The  dif.  in  numbers 
of  1st  cap.,  arjd  10,000  of  2  K.  xxiv.  14,  results  prob.  fr.  Jeremiah 
not  counting  soldiers.  The  great  dif.  betw.  the  total  and  those  who 
returned  may  show  how  large  were  accessions  fr.   previous  caps., 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS.  281 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Captivities. 

and  csp.  fr.  the  10  tribes.  From  B.C.  586-536  the  Jews  were  captives 
in  Babylon.  This  interval  is  marked  by  the  hist,  of  Daniel  and  bis 
companions  (see  Nebuchadnezzar) ;  the'founding  of  the  Persian  em- 
pire by  Cyrus;  the  seige  and  capture  of  Babylon.  From  B.C.  536- 
400  (i.e.,  fir.  decree  of  Cyrus  to  close  of  o.  T.  canon)  is  marked  by 
the  Jirst  return  (42,300  and  7,367  servants,  Ezra  i.  5),  the  founding  of 
the  temple,  elevation  of  Mordecai,  appearance  of  Ezra  {q-v.);  second 
return  (6,000,  end  of  March,  B.C.  458),  reformation  of  religion,  com- 
mission of  Nehemiah  (q.v.),  completion  of  wall,  Nehemiah's  return 
and  second  commission,  foil,  by  his  second  reformation.  "  While 
the  restored  Jews  were  thus  completing  the  fabric  of  their  religion, 
the  irregular  worship  of  the  Samaritans  assumed  the  form  of  an  or- 
ganized schism,  by  the  erection  of  a  rival  temple  on  Mt.  Gerizim." 
The  precise  date  of  its  erection  is  doubtful,  but  "  this  much  is  cer- 
tain, that  such  a  temple  was  built  as  an  assertion  of  the  religious 
independence  of  the  Samaritans,  and  that  this  act  of  schism  formed 
the  climax  to  the  hostility  betw.  them  and  the  Jews.  The  temple 
was  destroyed  by  John  Hyrcanus  (cir.  B.C.  109).  '^It  was  to  this 
sanctuary  that  the  woman  of  Sychar  referred"  (Jo.  iv.  20). 

II.  The  Dispersion.— The  name  given  to  those  who  continued  aft. 
the  return  fr.  Babylon.  Babylon  thus  became  a  centre  fr.  wh.  offshoots 
spread,  and  colonies  of  Jews  established  themselves  in  Persia,  Media,  and 
other  neighbouring  countries.  The  result  of  Gk.  conquest  was  to  draw 
off  Jewish  settlers  to  the  W.  Hence,  they  were  found  in  the  cities  of  A. 
Minor,  in  Ep:ypt,  and,  aft.  cap.  of  Jerusalem,  Jews  were  intro.  at  Rome. 
The  "dispersed,"  however,  all  looked  to  Jerusalem  as  the  metropolis  of  their 
faith;  they  had  with  them  every  where  their  sacred  books,  wh.  thus  became 
known  to  the  Gentiles  (Ac.  xv.  21);  while  a  wholesome  influence  was  per- 
ceptible on  themselves.  "  The  diff.  wh.  set  aside  the  literal  observance 
of  the  Mosaic  ritual  led  to  a  wider  view  of  the  scope  of  the  law,  and  a 
stronger  sense  of  its  spiritual  significance  ;  outwardly  and  inwardly,  by  its 
effects  both  on  the  Gentiles  and  on  the  people  of  Israel,  the  dispersion 
appears  to  have  been  the  clearest  providential  preparation  for  the  spread  of 
Christianity.''  ( JFestcott.) 

III.  Moral   and   Religions   Suggestions.— Israel,  absorbed 

into  other  nations,  and  passing  out  of  hist.,  may  remind  us  that  lack  of  reli- 
gious sentiment  breaks  down  individuality.  The  maxim  of  some  is,  "  Do  at 
Rome  as  Rome  does"  :  such  men  would  be  Mohammedans  in  Turkey,  and 
Buddhists  in  China.  Judah,  even  with  its  defects,  preserved  its  nation- 
ality, and  teaches  the  conserving  influence  of  religion.  Value  of  religious 
ordinances  taught  by  their  loss :  "  They  wept  when  they  remembered 
Zion"  Compassion  of  God,  who  remembered  the  captives,  and  was  with 
them  in  their  bondage.     So  will  He  deliver  us  fr.  spiritual  bondage. 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Beware  of  a  mere  formal  religiousness. 
Value  religious  ordinances.  Preserve  your  personal  integrity  under  all 
circumstances.  Faith  shuts  the  mouths  of  lions ;  and  the  good  works  of 
faith  shuts  the  mouths  of  gainsayers. 


282 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Connection  of  O.T.  &  N.T.]  CENTRAL  FACTS. 


[Connecting 


Vespasian's  Medal. 


I.  Descriptive. — Fr.  death  of  Malachi  to  the  hirth  of  Christ  is  a 
period  of  ab.  4U0  yrs.,  the  religious  hist,  of  \vh.  period  is  usually 
termed  "  the  connection  of  the  o.  T.  and  the  N.  t."  The  foil,  are  the 
chief  Events  :  For  some  time  Judaea 
remained  a  prov.  of  Persia,  the  Jews 
being  permitted  the  exercise  of  their 
religion,  under  the  direction  of  a  suc- 
cession of  h. -priests.  In  330  B.C. 
Persia  submitted  to  rule  of  Alexander 
the  Great,  who  (332)  marched  against 
Jerusalem.  Jaddur,  the  priest,  warned 
by  a  dream,  went  out  arrayed  in  his  robes,  and  attended  by  Levites, 
to  meet  the  conqueror,  who,  at  the  sight,  laid  aside  his  hostile  inten- 
tions, embraced  the  priest,  and,  hearing  of  Daniel's  prediction  of  con- 
quest of  Persia,  offered  sacrifices  in  the  Temple.  (J.,  Ant.  xi.  8.)  On 
death  of  Alex.  (323)  Ptolemy  Lagus  conquered  Judaea,  and  took  many 
thousands  captive  into  Egypt.  During  the  rule  of  Egypt,  and  in 
time  of  P.  Philadelphia  (285),  the  Heb. 
Scriptures  w  ere  trans,  into  Gk. ;  and  this 
version  is  called  the  Septuagint  (written 
LXX).  In  205,  P.  Epiphanes  being  a 
child  of  five  yrs.,  Antioehus  the  Great, 
king  of  Syria,  invaded  Judaea,  and  being 
aided  by  the  Jews,  conferred  many  pri- 
\^=s^  '  '<-J^y  j  vileges  on  them  as  a  reward.  Judaea,  now 
Subject  to  Syria,  was  called  Palestine,  and 
div.  into  five  districts—  Galilee,  Samaria, 
Juda?a,  W.  of  Jordan,  and  Trachonitis  and 
Persia  on  the  E.  The  Jews  retained  their 
Head  of  Alexander  the  Great.  own  ]awS)  and  ^eie  gov.  by  h. -priest  and 
Council  of  the  nation.  The  Jews  having  revolted,  Antioehus 
Epiphanes,  and,  subsequently,  his  general  Apollonius,  ravaged 
Jerusalem,  prohibited  temple  services  and  Jewish  rites,  and  enforced 
idolatry,  destroying  all  that  could  be  found  of  sacred  writings,  and 
dedicated  the  Temple  to  Jupiter  Olympus.  Matthias,  an  aged  priest, 
with  his  five  sons  (the  Maccebeans,  or  the  hammerers),  undertook  to 
deliver  his  country  (167)  ;  wi.  various  successes  the  Maccabeans  held 
the  country,  which  was  made  an  independent  state  (143),  and  Jo/in 
Hyrcanus  (son  of  Simon  Mace.)  succeeded  to  the  gov.  in  135,  and 
held  it.  till  his  death  in  107,  when  he  was  sue.  by  his  son  Aristobulus, 
who  died  106  ;  he  by  his  bro.,  Alex.  Jannaus,  who  died  in  79.  Then, 
after  an  interregnum,  Hycranus  was  procl.  king  (70),  but  he  resigned 
in  fav.  of  his  bro.  Aristobuhts  II.,  who,  during  a  civil  war,  prevailed 
on  the  Ronis.  to  aid  him,  and  presently  Pompey  invaded  Palestine, 
took  Aristobulus  in  triumph  to  Rome,  and  made  Judaia  a  Horn-  pj..v. 
(63).      Crassus  plundered   the   temple  (54),  and  Autiyonus,    s.    of 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  283 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.     [Connection  of  O. T.  &  N.T. 

Aristobulus,  aided  by  Parthians,  assumed  title  of  king  (41).  lie  rod, 
the  Idumtran,  went  at  once  to  Rome,  and  by  interest  of  Anthony  and 
Augustus  was  made  k.  of  Judsea,  and  in  three  years  put  an  end  to 
gov.  of  Maccabees  (37),  wh.  had  lasted  130  yrs.  To  please  the  Jews 
he  repaired  the  temple,  adding  greatlv  to  its  magnificence.  In  the 
36th  yr.  of  Herod,  Christ  was  born  (4  B.C.).  (See  Smith's  N.  T.  Hist.) 
IT.  The  Apocrypha  =  "  secret"  or  '•hidden,"  by  degrees  came  to 
have  the  sense  of  "forged"  or  "  spurious."  Though  the  a.  had  not  the 
high  sanction  of  canonical  hks.,  and  never  formed  part  of  Jewish  canon, 
yet  it  was  rftpucted  by  early  Christian  writers.  At  time  of  Reformation 
the  imperfect  authority  of  a.  was  more  fully  exposed,  while  the  Rom. 
church  gave  them  a  formal  sanction,  and  declared  them  (save  1,  2  Esdras, 
and  prayer  of  Manasseh)  canonical,  anathematizing  those  who  rejected 
them.  They  do  not  exist  in  Heb.,  prob.  were  not  written  in  Heb.,  but  Gk. 
They  are  feeble  and  apologetic  in  tone.  Do  not  teach  with  authority. 
They  do  not  claim  inspiration,  but  bewail  the  loss  of  it,  and  make  excuse 
for  imperfection  of  their  own  writings  (Eccles.,  prologue  ii.  ;  1  Mac.  iv.  46, 
ix.  27,  xiv.  41 ;  2  Mac.  ii.  23-32,  xv.  38).  Contradictions  and  falsehoods  have 
also  been  pointed  out.  Doctrines  foreign  to  Scripture  are  taught,  as  efficacy 
of  prayers  for  dead  (2  Mac.  xii.  43-45),  and  by  dead  (Bar.  iii.  4),  transmi- 
gration of  souls  (Wisd.  viii.  20),  and  even  suicide  is  ref.  to  in  terms  of 
praise  (2  Mac.  xiv.  41-46).  The  a.  contains  14  bks.,  viz.,  1,  2  Esdras,  Tobit, 
Judith,  rest  of  Esther,  Wisdom  of  Solomon,  Ecclesiasticus,  Baruch,  Song 
of  Three  Children,  Susannah,  Bel  and  the  Dragon,  Prayer  of  Manasses,  1,  2 
Maccabees.     {Seepage  180.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Note  the  course  of 

providence  in  hist,  of  Herod.  As  a  usurper  of  the  hated  alien  race  of 
Edom,  and  destroyer  of  Maccabean  house,  he  cleared  the  ground  of  all  who 
might  have  lawfully  competed  with  Christ  for  the  throne  of  David,  while 
his  power  united  the  Holy  Land,  in  preparation  for  the  advent  of  its  pre- 
dicted King.  No  gov.,  except,  perhaps,  one  that  maintains  its  power  over 
an  enslaved  but  noble  people  hy  brute  force,  is  much  worse  in  its  moral 
character  than  the  people  who  submit  to  it;  and  Herod  is,  in  some  sense, 
the  representative  of  the  deep  moral  degradation  of  the  Jews. .  .  .his  more 
than  half  heathen  pomp  too  truly  represented  the  worldly  spirit  wh.  looked 
for  an  earthly  kingdom  as  its  highest  hope.  Yet  here  and  there  was  one 
who  waited  for  the  consolation  of  Israel. 

"  He  saw  Heaven  blossom  with  a  new-born  light, 
On  which,  as  on  a  glorious  stranger,  gazed 
The  golden  eyes  of  night ;  whose  beam  made  bright 
The  way  to  Bethlehem,  and  as  boldly  blazed 
(Nor  ask'd  leave  of  the  sun)  by  day  as  night, 
By  whom  (as  Heaven's  illustrious  handmaid)  raised, 
Three  kings,  or,  what  is  more,  three  wise  men  went 
Westward  to  find  the  world's  true  orient."     (Crashmc.) 
IV. — Practical  Hint. — Rejoice   in    that  patient  critical  skill  wh. 
detects  the  spurious,  and  in  that  divine  providence  wh.  preserves  the  true. 
Adore  the  wis  lom  of  God  that  during  lour  centuries  of  conflict  and  change 
yet  preserved  the  Jews  and  their  rtligion  in  Palestine,  and  at  length  pre- 
pared the  time  for  the  advent  of  the  predicted  Messiah. 


284 


TOriCS    FOR    TEACHERS. 


Planting  of  Christianity.]    CENTRAL  FACTS. 


[Connecting 


I.  Descriptive. — (For  ace.  of  the  situation  of  affairs  and  mode  of 
procedure,  read  Introduction  of  Alford's  How  to  Study  the  New  Test. 
Epistles,  first  section.)  Take  the  case  of  one  church,  and  try  to  enter 
into  its  state  and  wants.     "  A  few  months  bef.  a  holy  man  has  taken 

his  depar- 
ture. He 
has  been 
with  them 
some  weeks 
•-golden 
w  eeks, — 
|  weeks  of 
i  blessedness 
to  their 
II  i§  furthest 
memory.  It 
had  been 
an  angel's 
visit.  ...  So 
far  all  is 
well.  But 
man  cannot 
live  wholly 
Preaching  in  Rome.  on  tne  past- 

Unless  there  be  knit  up  a  link  betw.  the  past  and  the  present,  the 
past  will  fade,  and  the  unfortunate  present  will  by  degrees  take 
its  place. . .  In  face  of  these  difficulties,  the  apostolic  teachers  were 
directed  to  the  expedient  of  writing  letters  to  the  churches  wh.  they 
had  founded,  nr  wh.  owed  their  existence  to  emissaries  sent  fr. 
themselves."  Thus,  by  preaching  at  the  first  were  churches  gathered  ; 
and  aft,  by  Epistles,  instructed  and  consolidated  and  organized. 
Not  the  apostles  only,  but  all  believers,  zealously  preached  Christ,  and 
this  was  further  aided  by  the  persecutions  that  speedily  arose  (Ac. 
viii.  4,  xi.  19,  21).  So  rapidly  had  Christianity  spread  that  Pliny  the 
younger  (b.  a.d.  61  or  62),  when  doubting  what  he  should  do  to  arrest 
its  progress,  wrote  for  instructions  to  the  Emperor  Trajan  (A.D.  106), 
and,  aft.  eulogizing  the  moral  character  of  Christians,  says :  "  Many 
of  all  ages,  and  every  rank,  of  both  sexes  likewise,  are  accused,  and 
will  be  accused ;  nor  has  the  contagion  of  this  superstition  seized  cities 
only,  but  the  lesser  towns  also,  and  the  open  country  "  (quot.  in 
Lardner,  vii.  24).  Indeed,  bef.  the  close  of  the  first  century  com- 
munities of  Christians  called  churches  were  found  in  almost  every 
part  of  the  then  civilized  world.  "  The  enfeebled  world  was  totter- 
ing on  its  foundations  when  Christianity  appeared.  The  natural 
religions,  which  had  satisfied  the  parents,  no  longer  proved  sufficient 
for  their   children.      The    new   generations  could   not   repose  con- 


TOPICS    FOR   TEACIIEU8. 


285 


Links.] 


CENTRAL  FACTS.    [Planting  of  Christianity. 


Table  showing,  ace.  to  Sharon  Turner,  the  prob.  increase 

of  Christianity. 

Centy. 

No.  of  Christians.  Centy 

No.  of  Christians 

1 

500,000 

10 

50.000,000 

2 

2,001 

11 

70,000,000 

3 

5,000,000 

12 

80  00  ,0    I 

4 

10,000,000 

13 

;.v i 

5 

15, 1, i 

14 

Si  i.0oii,000 

6 

20,000,000 

15 

100,000  000 

7 

24,000,000 

16 

125,000,000 

8 

30,000,000 

17 

155,000,000 

9 

40,000,000 

18 

200,000,000 

tented  within  the  ancient  forms.  The  gods  of  every  nation,  when 
transported  to  Rome,  there  lost  their  oracles,  as  the  nations  them- 
selves had  lost  their 
liberty.  Brought  face 
to  face  in  the  Capitol, 
they  had  destroyed  ea. 
other,  and  their  divinity 
had  vanished.  A  great 
void  was  occasioned  in 
the  religion  of  the  world. 
Then  the  Word  was 
made  flesh.  . .  .  Former 
ages  had  paved  the  way 
to  it;  the  latter  ages  flow 
fr.  it.  It  is  their  centre  and  bond  of  unity.  Henceforward  the  popular 
superstitions  had  no  meaning,  and  the  slight  fragments  preserved  fr. 
the  gen.  wreck  of  incredulity  vanished  bef.  the  majestic  orb  of  eternal 
truth."   (DAubiyne.) 

II.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.—"  Christ  appeared— 

the  career  of  pagani.-m  was  checked,  the  fate  of  Judaism  was  scaled.  A 
chaiacter  and  a  religion  were  placed  bef.  the  eyes  of  men,  hitherto  incon- 
ceivable in  the  beauty  and  philosophy  of  their  nature.  Unlike  all  other 
founders  of  a  religious  faith,  Christ  had  no  selfishness,  no  dt  sire  of  dominance, 
and  His  system,  unlike  all  other  systems  of  worship,  was  bloodless,  bound- 
lessly beneficent,  inexpressibly  pure,  and — most  m  trvellous  of  all — went 
to  break  down  all  bonds  of  body  and  soul,  and  cast  down  every  temporal 
and  every  spiritual  tyranny."  (Howitt.)  "  There  never  was  found,  in  any 
age  of  the  world,  either  philosopher  or  sect,  or  law  or  discipline,  wh.  did 
so  highly  exalt  the  public  good  as  the  Christian  faith."  (Bacon.)  Pascal 
says  that,  wearied  with  the  investigation  of  the  external  evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity, wh.,  though  they  made  the  truth  of  revealed  religion  in  the  highest 
degree  prob.,  still  did  not  amount  to  mathematical  certainty,  he  submitted 
the  teachings  of  Christianity  to  his  own  inward  nature,  and  there  found  a 
prompt  response,  whose  verdict  he  could  no  more  doubt  than  he  could 
doubt  his  own  existence.  A  religion  so  infinitely  superior  to  every  other 
in  its  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  the  soul,  to  the  tempted,  the  broken- 
hearted, the  dying,  to  universal  humanity  in  all  its  conflicts,  sins,  and 
woes,  carried  its  own  evidence  of  its  Divine  origin.  "  We  may  learn  the 
excellency  of  the  Christian  religion  in  this,  that  it  is  the  great  and  only 
means  that  God  has  sanctified  and  designed  to  repair  the  breaches  of 
humanity,  to  set  fallen  man  upon  his  legs  again,  to  clarify  his  reason,  to 
rectify  his  will,  and  to  compose  and  regulate  his  affections.  The  whole 
business  of  our  redemption  is,  in  short,  only  to  rub  over  the  defaced  copy 
of  the  creation,  to  reprint  God's  image  upon  the  soul,  and  (as  it  were)  to 
set  forth  nature  in  a  second  and  a  fairer  edition."    (South.) 

III.  Practical  Hints. — Rapid  spread  of  Christianity,  in  the  face  of 
such  opposition,  among  the  historical  evidences  of  its  Divine  origin.  Has 
vital  Christianity  reached  you  ?  Has  it  spread  over  your  conscience,  will, 
judgment,  affections,  life? 

Vol.  IT.— 19 


286  TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS. 

Church  Militant]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 

I.  Descriptive,  etc. — "This   militant   church  may  have  many  ' 
parts,    as  the  ocean-sea  is  but  one,  yet  distinguished  ace.  to  the 
regions  upon  wh.  it  lies ;  so  there  is  the  Spanish  ocean,  the  English 
ocean,  the  German  ocean.    There  is  a  CH.  in  England,  a  CH.  in  France, 
a  CH.  in  Germany,  yet  there  is  but  one  militant  CH.     One  sun,  many 
beams;  one  kingdom,  many  shires;  one  tree,  many  branches."  [Adams.) 
"A  band  of  faithful  men 
Met  for  God's  worship  in  some  humble  room, 
Or,  screened  from  foes  by  midnight's  starlit  gloom, 

On'  hill  side  or  lone  glen, 
To  hear  the  counsels  of  His  holy  word, 
Pledged  to  each  other  and  their  common  Lord. 

These,  few  as  they  may  be, 
Compose  a  church,  such  as  in  pristine  age 
Defied  the  tyrant's  steel,  the  bigot  s  rage; 
For  when  hut  two  or  three, 
Whate'er  the  place,  in  faith's  communion  meet, 
There,  with  Christ  present,  is  a  church  complete." 

"  Christ  has  but  one  CH.  The  second  Adam,  like  the  first,  is  the  hus- 
band only  of  one  wife.  Just  as  the  CH.  cannot  have  two  heads,  so 
the  one  head  cannot  have  two  bodies  :  for  as  that  body  were  a  mon- 
ster wh.  had  two  heads,  so  the  head  wh.  had  two  separate  bodies." 
{Guthrie.)  "  I  do  not  want  the  walls  of  separation  betw.  diff.  orders 
of  Christians  to  be  destroyed,  but  only  lowered,  that  we  may  shake 
hands  a  little  easier  over  them."  (Rozcland  Hill.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  Church.— Belongs  to  God  (1  Tim.  iii.  15); 
bodj7  of  Christ  (Eph.  i.  23;  Col.  i.  24);  Christ  the  foundation  stone  of 
(1  Cor.  iii.  11  ;  Eph.  ii.  20 ;  1  Pet.  ii.  4,  6) ;  the  head  of  (Eph.  i.  22,  v.  23) ; 
loved  (So.  of  Sol.  vii.  10  ;  Eph.  v.  25)  ;  purchased  by  the  blood  of  (Ac.  xx. 
28;  Eph.  v.  25;  Heb.  ix.  12);  sanctified  and  cleansed  by  (1  Cor.  vi.  11; 
Eph.  v.  26,  27)  ;  subject  to  (Ro.  vii.  4 ;  Eph.  v.  24)  ;  object  of  grace  of 
God  (Is.  xxvii.  3 ;  2  Cor.  viii.  1)  ;  displays  wisdom  of  God  (Eph.  hi.  10) ; 
shows  forth  the  praises  of  (Is.  Ix.  6) ;  God  defends  (Ps.  lxxxix.  13 ;  Is.  iv. 
5,  xlix.  25;  Mat.  xvi.  18);  provides  ministers  for  (Jer.  hi.  15;  Eph.  iv. 
11,  12)  ;  glory  to  God  by  (iii.  21)  ;  elect  (1  Pet.  v.  13)  ;  glorious  (Ps.  xlv. 
13 ;  Eph.  v.  27)  ;  clothed  (Rev.  xix.  8)  ;  believers  added  to  (Ac.  ii.  47,  v. 
14,  xi.  24)  ;  unity  of  (Ro.  xii.  5  ;  1  Cor.  x.  17,  xh.  12  ;  Gal.  iii.  28)  ;  saints 
baptized  into  (1  Cor.  xii.  13)  ;  ministers  commanded  to  feed  (Ac.  xx.  28)  ; 
edified  by  word  (1  Cor.  xiv.  4,  13  ;  Eph.  iv.  15,  16)  ;  wicked  persecute  (Ac. 
viii.  1-3  ;  1  Thes.  ii.  14,  15)  ;  not  to  be  despised  (1  Cor.  xi.  22) ;  defiling  of 
punished  (1  Cor.  hi.  17)  ;  extent  of  predicted  (Is.  ii.  2;  Ez.  xvii.  22-24  ; 
Dan.  ii.  34,  35.) 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— How  to  break  down 
a  church.  I.  Discourage  the  pastor.  (1)  By  attending  only  one  Sabbath 
service.  (2)  By  neglecting  prayer  (and  other)  meetings.  (3)  Criticise 
your  minister  freely,  praise  him  sparingly,  censure  him  plentifully,  pray 
for  him  little  or  none.  (4)  Withhold  your  co-operation  generally.  II. 
Discourage  your  fellow-members.     (1)  By  observing  the  foregoing  directions. 


TOPICS    FOR    TEACHERS.  287 


ljinks.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Church  MilitrEt. 

(2)  Complain  ab.  everything  they  do,  or  leave  undone.  (3)  Place  your- 
self at  the  head  of  a  clique,  and  by  their  aid  keep  the  church  constantly 
in  hot  water,  (i)  Meanwhile  complain  of  the  bad  treatment  vou  arc  re- 
ceiving. (■">)  Be  as  much  like  Diotrephes,  and  as  little  like  Paul,  as  vou 
can.  ^6)  Encourage  suspicion,  and  study  the  whole  arl  of  scheming.  III. 
To  destroy  the  confidence  oj  tfo  community.  (1)  Observe  the  foregoing  direc- 
tions, and  (2)  Tell  people  you  are  in  the  church  by  force  of  circumstances, 
but  have  no  respect  for  the  way  in  wh.  business  is  conducted.  (3)  Publish 
the  faults  of  your  brethren,  taking  care  to  magnify  them.  (4)  Make  no 
effort  to  induce  people  to  attend  the  church.  (5)  Take  no  part  in  any 
Christian  work.  (6)  Publish  your  want  of  faith  in  the  church;  and  pro- 
phesy that  it  will  fail,  go  down,  blow  up,  never  can  succeed.  By  observ- 
ing these  directions  faithfully,  you  may  have  the  satisfaction,  if  the  church 
is  not  unusually  vigorous,  of  witnessing  the  fulfilment  of  your  predictions. 
"  Do  men  go  to  school  because  they  know  so  much,  or  because  they  know 
so  little  't  Do  men  go  to  a  physician  because  they  are  sick,  or  do  they  wait 
until  they  are  well,  and  then  go  ?  Yet,  to  hear  people  speak  of  uniting 
with  the  church  one  would  suppose  that  they  thought  it  their  duty  to  stay 
out  till  they  were  perfect,  and  then  to  join  it  as  ornaments.  Thev  who  are 
weak,  but  who  wish  strength  ;  they  who  are  ignorant,  but  hunger  for 
knowledge ;  they  who  are  unable  to  go  alone,  and  need  sympathy  and  so- 
ciety to  hold  them  up  ;  they  who  are  lame,  and  need  crutches :  in  short, 
they  who  know  the  plague  and  infirmity  of  a  selfish  heart,  a  worldly 
nature,  a  sinful  life,  and  who  desire  above  all  things  to  be  lifted  above 
them,  have  a  preparation  for  the  church.  If  you  could  walk  without  limp- 
ing, why  use  a  crutch  at  all  ?  If  you  are  already  good  enough  why  go 
into  a  church  ?  But  if  you  are  so  lame  that  a  staff  is  a  help,  so  infirm' that 
company  and  ordinances  will  aid  you,  then  you  have  a  right  to  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  church.  To  unite  with  a  church  is  not  to  profess  that  you  are 
a  saint,  that  you  are  good,  that  you  are  better  than  others.  It  is  but  a 
public  recognition  of  your  weakness  and  spiritual  necessities.  The  church 
is  not  a  gallery  for  the  better  exhibition  of  eminent  Christians,  but  a  school 
for  the  education  of  imperfect  ones,  a  nursery  for  the  care  of  weak  ones,  an 
hospital  for  the  better  healing  of  those  who  need  assiduous  care."  (Beeclter.) 
"  When  a  man  unites  with  the  church  he  should  not  come  saying,  <  I  am 
so  holy  that  I  think  I  must  go  in  among  the  saints,'  but,  '  0" brethren,  I 
find  1  am  so  weak  and  wicked  that  I  cannot  stand  alone  ;  so,  if  you  can 
help  me,  open  the  door  and  let  me  in.'"  (Ibid.)  "This  is  the  state  of  the 
church  militant :  she  is  like  the  ark  floating  upon  the  waters,  like  a  lily 
growing  among  thorns,  like  the  bush  which  burned  with  fire,  and  was  not 
consumed;  so  the  city  of  God  is  always  besieged,  but  never  ruined." 
(II.  Smith.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— Are  you  on  the  Lord's  side?  If  so,  be  num- 
bered with  His  people.  With  all  their  defects— of  wh.  none  are  so  pain- 
fully conscious  as  themselves— He  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren. 
You  will  be  glad  to  be  numbered  with  them  in  heaven.  Be  equally  glad 
to  fight  in  their  ranks  on  earth.  "  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem ;  they 
shall  prosper  that  love  thee  "  (mark  Ps.  cii.  13-14). 


288  TOPICS    FOR   TEACHERS. 

Church.  Triumphant.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Connecting 

I.  Descriptive,  etc. — "  There  was  an  angel  to  keep  Paradise 
when  Adam  was  shut  out ;  but  there  is  none  to  keep  us  out  of  heaven  ; 
nay,  the  angels  are  ready  to  convey  our  souls  to  heaven,  as  they  did 
Lazarus  ;  and  as  they  accompanied  Christ  in  His  ascension  to  heaven, 
so  they  do  the  souls  of  His  children."  (Sibbes.)  "  The  very  time  at 
wh.  we  think  our  friends  most  fitted  to  live  and  benefit  the  world  is, 
perhaps  for  that  reason,  the  precise  moment  when  God  sees  it  best  to 
remove  them  from  it.  As  the  skilful  artist  who  is  ab.  to  draw  our 
portrait  chooses,  if  he  can,  the  favourable  opportunity  wh.  exhibits  us 
to  most  advantage,  and  fears  lest  any  change  of  countenance  or  posture 
should  interfere ;  so  does  a  merciful  Providence  select  His  time,  and 
when  the  soul  is  at  the  highest  point  of  its  elevation,  set  His  seal,  and 
stamp  it  for  immortality."  (  Woodicard.)  On  Rev.  xxi.  9  : — "  I.  As  thou 
hast  never  seenher  before  :  (1)  Enjoying  nearer  communion  ;  (2)  par- 
ticipating in  highest  honour;  (3)  possessing  enlarged  knowledge. 
II.  Where  she  never  was  before:  (1)  Beyond  the  tempter's  power; 
(2)  beyond  adversity  and  trial ;  (3)  away  from  the  vineyard.  III. 
Where  she  never  expected  to  be  :  (1)  She  expected  much  ;  (2)  but  the 
half  was  not  told  her.  IV.  As  she  was  decreed  to  be  :  (1)  She  is  not 
there  of  God's  caprice  ;  (2)  nor  by  her  own  efforts.  V.  As  site  shall 
for  ever  remain:  (I)  Her  husband  has  paid  her  debts  ;  (2)  He  is  un- 
changeable ;  (3)  no  fear  of  estrangement  on  her  part.  VI.  As  she 
should  now  aim  to  be  :  (1)  Beautiful  with  meekness,  gentleness,  etc. ; 
(2)  live  to  please  Him."  (Stems  and  Twigs.)  On  Rev.  vii.  9-17  : — 
"  I.  Who  are  there  ?  (1)  A  multitude  ;  (2)  a  great  multitude  ;  (3)  a 
miscellaneous  multitude ;  (4)  a  multitude  who  once  were  mourners  ; 
(5)  a  multitude  who  shall  form  an  eternal  monument  of  the  Redeemer's 
grace  and  power.  II.  What  IS  IT  that  they  DO  THERE?  (1) 
They  celebrate  a  victory  ;  (2)  they  serve  God  ;  (3)  they  see  God;  (4) 
they  follow  the  Lamb.  Some  things  ich.  there  they  never  do  :  They 
never  want,  weary,  weep."     (Dr.  J.  Hamilton.) 

II.  Bible  Refs.  to  C.  T—  The  blessed  state  of  the  Saints  in  light : 
from  God  (Col.  iii.  24  ;  Heb.  xi.  5)  ;  of  grace  (Ro,  iv.  4,  5,  16  ;  xi.  6)  ;  of 
God's  pleasure  (Lu.  xii.  32).  Prepared  by  God  (Heb.  xi.  16)  ;  by  Christ 
(Jo.  xiv.  2).  As  servants  of  Christ  (Col.  iii.  24).  Not  on  account  of  their 
merits  (Ro.  iv.  4,  5) .  Described  as  being  with  Christ  (Jo.  xii.  26,  xiv.  3  ; 
Phi.  i.  23  ;  1  Thes.  iv.  17)  ;  beholding  face  of  God  (Ps.  xvii.  15  ;  Mat.  v.  8  ; 
Rev.  xxii.  4)  ;  the  glory  of  Chiist  (Jo.  xvii.  24)  ;  glorified  with  Christ 
(Ro.  viii.  17,  18  ;  Col.  iii.  4)  ;  in  judgment  with  Chiist  (Lu.  xxii.  30,  ef. 
1  Cor.  xi.  2);  reigning  (2  Tim.  ii.  12;  Rev.  v.  10,  xx.  4,  xxii.  5); 
crown  of  righteousness  (2  Tim.  iv.  8)  ;  of  glory  (1  Pet.  v.  4)  ;  of  life  (Jas. 
i.  12  ;  Rev.  ii.  10)  ;  incorruptible  (1  Cor.  ix.  25)  ;  heirship  with  Christ 
(Ro.  viii-  17)  ;  inheritance  of  all  things  (Rev.  xxi.  7)  ;  with  saints  in 
light  (Ac  xx.  32,  xxvi.  18;  Col.  i.  12);  eternal  (Heb.  ix.  11);  incor- 
ruptible, etc-  (1  Pet.  i.  4)  ;  a  kingdom  (Mat.  xxv.  34  ;  Lu.  xxii.  29)  ;  im- 
movable' (Heb.  xii.  28)  ;  shining  as  stars  (Dan.  xii.  3)  ;  everlasting  light 
(Is.  Ix.  19)  ;  life  (Lu.  xviii.  30  ;  Ro.  vi.  23)  ;  enduring  substance  (Heb.  x. 


TOPICS    FOR  TEACIlERfl.  2S9 

Links.]  CENTRAL  FACTS.  [Church  Triumphant. 

34)  ;  a  house  (2  Cor.  v.  1)  ;  a  city  (Heb.  xi.  10)  ;  entering  into  joy  of 
Lord  (Mat.  xxv.  21,  cf.  Heb.  xii.  2) ;  rest  (Heb.  iv.  9  ;  Rev.  xiv.)  ;  fulness 
of  joy  ^Ps.  xvi.  11)  ;  prize  of  high  calling  (Phi.  iii.  14)  ;  trcasuro  in  heaven 
(Mat.  xix.  21  ;  Lu.  xii.  33)  ;  weight  of  glory  (2  Cor.  iv.  17).  Is  great 
(Mat.  v.  42  ;  Lu.  vi.  35  ;  Heb.  x.  35)  ;  full  (2  Jo.  8)  ;  sure  (Pr.  xi.  18)  ; 
satisfying  (Ps.  xvii.  15)  ;  inestimable  (Is.  lxiv.  4,  cf.  1  Cor.  ii.  9).  Saints 
confident  of  (Ps.  lxxiii.  24  ;  2  Cor.  v.  1  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  8).  Hope  of  (Ro.  v. 
2).  Not  to  lose  (2  Jo.  13).  Prospect  of  should  had  to  diligence  (2  Jo. 
8);  pressing  forward  (Thi.  iii.  14);  enduring  suffering  (2  Cor.  iv.  16- 
1S  ;  Heb.  xi.  26) ;  faithfulness  (Rev.  ii.  10).  Present  afflictions  not  com- 
pared with  (Jo.  viii.  ]  8).    Shall  be  given  at  coming  of  Christ  (Mat.  xvi.  27). 

III.  Moral  and  Religious  Suggestions.— Our  one  life  has  two 
homes  (2  Cor.  v.  6-9).  Perfect  service  in  heaven  (Rev.  xxii.  3-5).  Heaven 
a  social  world  (Heb.  xii.  22,  23).  Recognition  of  friends  in  heaven  (1  Cor. 
xiii.  12).  Heaven  a  world  without  a  night  (Rev.  xxi.  25).  Heaven,  the 
saints'  inheritance  (1  Pet.  i.  3,  4).  Heaven  our  home  (Jo.  xiv.  2).  "The 
poets  fabulously  fancied  that  the  giants  scaled  heaven  by  heaping  moun- 
tain upon  mountain.  What  was  their  fancy  is  gospel  truth.  If  you 
would  go  to  heaven,  you  must  climb  thither  by  putting  mount  Sion  upon 
mount  Sinai."  (Bp.  Hopkins.)  "  Here  must  be  the  heir,  if  yonder  be  his 
inheritance.  Here  must  be  the  labourer,  if  yonder  be  his  rest.  Here  must 
be  the  candidate,  if  yonder  be  his  reword.  As  he  now  adds  excellence  to 
excellence,  as  he  is  not  '  barren  nor  unfruitful,'  '  so  shall  an  entrance  be 
ministered  unto  him  abundantly  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.'"  (Dr.  It.  W.  Hamilton.)  "If  ever  I  reach 
heaven,  I  expect  to  find  three  wonders  there : — First,  to  meet  some  I  had 
not  thought  to  see  there  ;  second,  not  to  meet  some  whom  I  had  expected 
to  meet  there  ;  but  third,  the  greatest  wonder  of  all  will  be,  to  find  myself 
there ! "     (Newton.) 

IV.  Practical  Hints.— "We  often  think,  read,  talk,  sing  about 
heaven.  "  But  what  will  it  be  to  be  there  ?  "  (Note  2  Pet.  iii.  11,  and 
1  Jo.  iii.  3).  Heaven  is  a  place  for  wh.  we  should  seek  to  be  fitted,  and  a 
state  wh.  we  should  aim  to  possess. 

Oh !  we  are  weary  here, 

A  little  band, 
Yet  soon  in  glory  there 

We  hope  to  stand  ; 
Then  let  us  haste  away, 
Speed  o'er  this  world's  dark  way 
Unto  that  land  of  day, — 

That  better  land." 


1  Know  ye  that  better  land, 
Where  care's  unknown? 

Know  ye  that  blessed  land 
Around  the  throne  ? 

There,  there  is  happiness ; 

There,  streams  of  purest  bliss  ; 

There,  there  are  rest  and  peace, 
There,  there  alone ! 


'  There  are  our  loved  ones  in  their  rest; 
They've  cross' d  Time's  river — now  no  more 
They  heed  the  bubbles  on  its  breast, 
Nor  feel  the  storms  that  sweep  its  shore. 
But  there  pure  love  can  live,  can  last — 
They  look  for  us  their  home  to  share : 
When  we,  in  turn,  away  have  pass'd, 
What  joyful  greetings  wait  us  there — 
Across  the  river !  " 


INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS. 


Aaron       -        -    i.  268 

Abana      -         -     i.  162 

Abarim    -        -    i.  179 

Abdon      -        -    i.  250 

Abednego         -    i.  179 

Abel-Shittim    -    i.  80 

Abiathar  -         -     i.  272 

Abigail     -        -    i.  283 

Abiline      -         -     i.  192 

Abimelech        -     i.  240 

Ablutions           -   ii.  8 

Abraham     -  i.     22-1,  271 

„    ii.     103,  200,  272 

Absalom  -        -    i.  244 

Acacia      -         -     i.  80 

Accho       -        -   ii.  119 

Accused    -        -  ii.  00 

Aceldama          -     i.  192 

Achor       -         -     i.  192 

Acts,  Bk.  of     -   ii.  184 

Adam       -         -     i.  218 

Adamant-         -     i.  202 

Adder       -        -    i.  04 

Adoption           -   ii.  252 

Adrammelech  -  ii.  132 

Adriatic    -         -     i.  140 

Adullam  -        -    i.  180 

Adversary          -    ii.  00 

Affection,  natural  i.  55 

Affliction-        -    i.  199 

Agate       -        -    i.  202 

Ahab         -         -     i.  250 

Ahasuerus        -    i.  284 

Ajalon     -    i.     3, 28,  192 

Akabali     -        -    i.  152 

Alabaster          -    i.  109 

Alexander  Great  ii.  282 

Alexandria        -     i.  101 
Alexandrian  MS. 

ii.  185 

Alburn      -        -    i.  86 
Allon-bacuth     i.     09,  90 

Almond     -         -    i.  96 

Almug      -        -    i.  86 

Aloes        -        -    i.  87 

Alphabet,  Heb.     ii.  126 

Altar      i.     224 ;  ii.  139 


Altar  incense 

-   ii. 

250 

Arnon 

t 

156 

,,     burnt  offering 

Arrows     - 

. 

ii. 

88 

ii. 

251 

Arts,  fine 

. 

ii. 

122 

Amethyst 

-     i. 

202 

Ash 

- 

i. 

94 

Amnion    - 

-     i. 

134 

Asliima     - 

- 

ii. 

132 

Amos 

.    i. 

204 

Ashteroth 

- 

ii. 

no 

Amphibius 

-     i. 

8 

Ashiureth 

- 

ii. 

132 

Aniphipolis 

-    ii. 

116 

Asia 

- 

i. 

141 

Amusements 

-   ii. 

0 

Asia  Minor 

- 

i. 

140 

Anakim    - 

-     i. 

241 

Asp 

- 

i. 

64 

Ancestry  - 

-     i. 

105 

Aspen  - 

i. 

8  91 

Anc.  cities 

-   ii. 

191 

Ass 

. 

i. 

14 

Angels 

-  ii 

234 

Ass,  Balaam' 

5  - 

i. 

15 

Animal  food 

-   ii. 

20 

Assize,  the  great 

ii. 

69 

Anise 

'    i. 

113 

Assyria    - 

- 

i. 

132 

Anklets     - 

-  ii. 

10 

Asylums  - 

- 

ii. 

71 

Anna 

.    j. 

286 

Athaliah  - 

. 

i. 

282 

Annas 

-    i. 

272 

Athens 

- 

ii. 

116 

Anointing 

-  ii. 

74 

Augustus 

- 

ii. 

213 

Antioch    -    ii 

115 

118 

Autumn  - 

- 

i. 

212 

Apocrypha    ii 

.    180 

283 

Aven 

- 

i. 

161 

Apollonia 

-  ii. 

116 

Avenger  of  blood 

ii. 

70 

Apostles  - 

-  ii. 

172 

Apothecary 

-  ii. 

12 

B. 

Appearances  of  Xt. 

Baal 

- 

ii. 

132 

ii. 

170 

, ,    -berith 

■ 

ii. 

132 

Apple 

-    i. 

83 

„     -Peor 

- 

ii. 

132 

Arabah      -     i 

.     142 

188 

,,     -zebub 

- 

ii. 

132 

Arabia    i.     14 

2;  ii. 

189 

,,     -Zephon 

- 

ii. 

132 

Arabic  words 

.    j. 

121 

Babel 

- 

ii. 

270 

Arabs 

-    i. 

142 

Bab-el-mandeb 

i. 

152 

Aram 

-    i. 

132 

Babylon   - 

- 

i. 

133 

Aramea    • 

-    i. 

132 

ii. 

112 

190 

Ararat 

-    i. 

lGti 

Babylonia 

- 

i. 

132 

-  ii. 

269 

Baca  - 

i. 

91 

193 

Araunah  - 

.    i. 

169 

Baker  ■■ 

ii 

12,23 

Archipelago 

-    i. 

146 

Balaam's  Ass 

- 

i. 

15 

Arcturiis  - 

-    i. 

217 

Balm 

- 

i. 

112 

Areopagus 

-  ii. 

68 

Balm,  Gilead 

- 

i. 

181 

Aretas 

-    i. 

195 

Bamas 

- 

i. 

154 

Argob 

-     i. 

135 

Banner     - 

- 

ii. 

91 

Aristides  - 

-   ii. 

210 

Banquets 

- 

ii. 

00 

Ark,  covenant 

270 

Baptist     - 

- 

i. 

206 

ii. 

148 

Barak         - 

177 

240 

,,     Noah's 

-  ii. 

269 

Barber 

- 

ii. 

12 

Armageddon 

-     i. 

185 

Bams        - 

- 

ii. 

44 

Armour    - 

-  ii. 

82 

Baruch     - 

- 

i. 

274 

Army 

-   ii. 

84 

Bashain    - 

- 

i. 

130 

292 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


Bash  am   - 

ii. 

114 

Books 

. 

Basilisk    - 

i. 

65 

Boiling      - 

- 

Basin 

ii. 

19 

Boiled       - 

- 

Basket      - 

ii. 

1!) 

Bottle 

- 

Bat  - 

i. 

30 

Bow 

- 

Bathing    - 

ii. 

8 

Bowl 

- 

Bathsheba 

i. 

282 

Box 

- 

Battering-ram  - 

ii. 

92 

Bracelets  - 

- 

Battles      - 

ii. 

94 

Brass 

- 

„     -array      - 

ii. 

94 

Brazen-laver 

- 

,,     -axe 

ii. 

84 

Bread    - 

ii. 

„     Jezreel    - 

i. 

236 

,,     fruit  tree 

Bay 

i. 

94 

,,     of  life 

- 

Bear 

i. 

4 

Briar 

- 

Beauty     - 

i. 

6 

Bribes       - 

- 

„     of  Church. 

i. 

11 

Bricks 

- 

Bee 

i. 

68 

Bride 

• 

Beer-sheba 

i. 

228 

„     groom 

- 

Beetle  -        -    i 

66,7 

Bronze 

- 

Bed 

ii. 

2, 1 8 

Brooks     - 

- 

Behemoth 

i. 

S 

Building  - 

. 

Bel 

ii. 

132 

Bull 

. 

Bells 

ii. 

123 

Bulrush    - 

. 

Benevolence 

ii. 

25 

Burial 

- 

Berachah  - 

i. 

193 

Burning    - 

- 

Berea 

ii. 

116 

Berenice  - 

i. 

228 

C. 

Bernice     - 

i. 

228 

Cassarea   - 

. 

Beryl 

i. 

202 

Cassarea  Phi. 

- 

Besor 

i. 

'  165 

Caiaphas  - 

. 

Bethany  - 

i. 

84 

Cain,  race  of 

- 

Bethel    i.     192; 

ii. 

109 

Cakes,  sweet 

- 

Beth-horon 

ii. 

95 

Caleb 

- 

Eethlehem 

ii. 

108 

Call  of  Abram 

lieth-nimrah 

i. 

6 

„     of  God 

_ 

Beth-saida 

ii. 

104 

Camel 

. 

Betrothment 

ii. 

26 

Cameleon 

. 

Beverage  - 

ii. 

21 

Cameo 

. 

Bible       i.     114 

»  ii 

125, 

C  a  in  f  hire 

- 

127 

Cana 

. 

„     Credibilitv 

ii. 

184 

Canaan     - 

. 

„     English  -* 

ii. 

179 

,,     conquest 

„     Hist.  Bks. 

ii. 

178 

Canaanites 

_ 

,,     inspired    - 

i. 

53 

Candace 

„    N.T.Epis 

ii. 

186 

Candlestick 

ii. 

„    N.T.Hist 

ii. 

184 

Cankerworm 

i 

,.    Poet.  Bks. 

ii. 

180 

Canon 

_ 

„     Proph.    Bks. 

Capernaum 

- 

n. 

182 

Caper-plant 
Cappadocia 

. 

Biscuit 

ii. 

24 

- 

Bittern      - 

i. 

41 

Captivities 

- 

Boa 

i. 

62 

Caravan   - 

. 

Boaz 

i. 

280 

Caravanserais 

. 

Bochini     - 

i. 

193 

Carbuncle 

. 

Book 

ii. 

126 

C  arm  el      - 

. 

„     of  Job      - 

i. 

223 

,,     of  Judah 

„    of  Leviticus  ii. 

145 

Cai  oh 

- 

ii. 

127 

ii. 

21 

i. 

115 

ii. 

18 

ii. 

84 

ii. 

19 

i. 

87 

ii. 

10 

i. 

200 

ii. 

150 

5 

2,  24 

ii. 

25 

ii. 

25 

i. 

100 

ii. 

50 

ii. 

48 

ii. 

26 

ii. 

26 

i. 

201 

i. 

157 

ii. 

48 

i. 

22 

i. 

114 

ii. 

30 

ii. 

72 

ii. 

119 

ii. 

104 

i. 

272 

i. 

221 

ii. 

24 

ii. 

276 

i. 

226 

i. 

225 

i. 

18 

i. 

30 

i. 

203 

i. 

120 

ii. 

104 

i. 

222 

ii. 

276 

i. 

223 

i. 

282 

19,  151 

66,74 

ii. 

181 

ii. 

104 

i. 

98 

i. 

140 

ii. 

280 

ii. 

54 

ii. 

54 

i. 

202 

i. 

174 

i. 

174 

i. 

92 

Carpenter 

Carver 

Cassia 

Catapults 
Caterpillar 
Cathedrals 
Cavalry  -  i 

Caves        -  -  ii. 

Cedar        -  -    i. 

,,     wood  -     i. 

Cemetery  -  -  ii. 

Cenchrea  -  -   ii. 

Cereals     -  -    i. 

Ceylon      -  -     i. 

Chains      -  -   ii. 

Chair        -  -  ii. 

Chalcedony  -     i. 

Chaldea    -  -     i. 

Charashim  -     I. 

Charger    -  -   ii. 

Chariots    -  ii.     8( 

Charmer  -  -   ii. 

Chemosh  -  -  ii. 

Cherith  -  -  i. 
Chewing  the  cud  i. 
Chinese  idolatry    i. 

Chittim    -  -    i. 

Chios         -  -     i. 

Chilion    -  -    i. 

Chiun        -  -  ii. 

Cbloe        -  -    i. 

Chorazin  -  -   ii. 
Christ  and  prophecy 
ii. 


-  ii.  12 

-  ii.  12 

-  i.  110 

-  ii.  92 

-  i.  66 

-  ii.  137 
11;  ii.  88 

-  ii.  14 


92 

34 

116 

106 

110 

10 

IS 

202 

132 

193 

19 

3,88 

134 

132 

156 

26 

63 

144 

146 

280 

132 

288 

101 


192 
63 
162 
168 
224 
163 
163 
170 


,,    at  the  inn    ii. 

,,     birth         -   ii. 

„     character     ii. 

,,     Divinity       ii. 

„     humanity    ii. 

,,     humility       ii. 

„     last  days      ii. 

„    miracles       ii. 

„     offices       -   ii, 

„     shepherd      ii. 

,,     teachings     ii. 

„     titles         -   ii. 
Christianity,  early 

ii.    187,  2S4 
Christian  progress 

'      254 

202 
187 
286 

141 
ii.     115 

Triumphant  ii.  288 


226 
39 
164 
228 


Chrysolite          -  i. 

Chrysoprasus    -  i. 

Churches  early  -  ii. 

,,       Militant  ii. 

,,       of  Asia  i. 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


293 


Church  of  Christ   i.  183 

,,        the  first     i.  266 

CiUcia       -        -     i.  140 

Cilicum    -        -     i.  110 

Cinnamon         -    i.  110 

Cities  of  A.  Minor  ii.  Ill 

,,     coast         -    ii.  118 

„     East         -   ii.  112 

„     Galilee     -   ii.  104 

,,     Greece      -   ii.  116 

„     Judah      -   ii.  108 

„     plain         -     i.  226 

„     of  refuge  -   ii.  70 

„    Rome      -    ii.  120 

,,     Samaria  -   ii.  1U0 

„     "Wilderness  ii.  110 

Citron       -        -    i.  83 

Clauda      -         -    i.  146 

Cleopatra           -     i.  112 

Cloak        -         -   ii.  4 

Clouds      -         -     i.  208 

Club           -         -   ii.  84 

Coat  of  Colours      i.  231 

Cobra -di-capello    i.  65 

Cock          -         -     i.  44 

Cockatrice         -    i.  64 

Cock  crowing    -     i.  44 

Coinage    -        -   ii.  56 

Colosse     -        -   ii.  114 

Commerce   i.   145 ;  ii.  58 

Common  things     i.  45 

Companions       -     i.  23 

Compensations  -     i.  47 

Coney       -        -    i.  26 

Confusion,  tongues 

ii.  270 
Connection  O.  and  N. 

Test.     -        -  ii.  2S2 

Conquest           -     i.  139 

Conquest, Canaan  ii.  276 

Conscience         -   ii.  211 

Conscientiousness  ii.  214 

Conversion        -   ii.  2.50 

Cooking             -   ii.  21 

Coos          -        -    i.  146 

Copper     -        -    i.  201 

Coral         -        -    i.  86 

Coriander           -     i.  112 

Corinth     -         -   ii.  116 

Cormorant        -     i.  52 

Corner-stone     -   ii.  48 

Cornet       -         -   ii.  122 
Covenant 

„    Abrahamic    i.  224 ; 

ii.  ^72 

,,     Noah        -     i.  220 

Covetousness    -   ii.  202 


Cow          .  .    i.  22 

Cracknels-  -  ii.  24 

Craftiness  -     i.  13 

Crane        -  -    i.  55 

Creation   -  -  ii.  260 

Credibility  of  Gospels 

ii.  184 

Crete        -  -     i.  146 

Crocodile  -  -    i.  57 

Cross         -  -     i.  98 

Crown       -  -   ii.  76 

Crucifixion  -   ii.  72 

Crusades  -  -   ii.  101 

Cruse        -  -  ii.  18 

Cup           -  -   ii.  19 

Cymbals  -  -   ii.  123 

Cypress    -  -  i.  86,  94 

Cyprus      -  -     i.  144 

Cyrus       -  -  ii.  192 


Dagon   i.  -  23S ;  ii.  132 

Damascus          -   ii.  102 

„     rivers       -    i.  162 

Damask  rose    -    i.  116 

Dance         -        -  ii.  6 

Daniel    -  i.  263 ;  ii  2S0 

Darnel      -        -    i.  100 

Dates        -         -     i.  84 

Daughters  of  men  i.  221 

David        -    i.     187,  244 

Dead  Sea-         -     i.  56 

Death       -        -   ii.  30 

„      of  Baptist    i.  267 

„      of  good  -    i.  179 
Deborah  -  i.  69,177,240 

Decoy       -         -   ii.  41 

Deer         -        -    i.  28 

Delta        -         -     i.  130 

Deluge     -  i.  166 ;  ii.  268 

Deputy     -        -  ii.  65 

Derbe       -        -   ii.  115 

Devil        -        -  ii.  236 

Dew          -         -     i.  204 

Diadem     -         -   ii.  76 

Diamond  -        -    i.  202 

Diana       -         -    ii.  132 

Difficulties        -     i.  3 

Dill           -        -    i.  113 

Diseases    -        -   ii.  28 

Dish         -        -  ii.  19 

Dispersion         -   ii.  270 

Diviner     -         -   ii.  134 
Division  of  kingdom 

i.  248;  ii.  278 

Divorce     -        -   ii.  26 

Dog          -        -    i.  12 


Dorcas     -         i.  28, 288 

Dothan     -        -  ii.  100 

Dove        -         i.  38,  267 

Dreams    -        -  ii.  140 

Dress        -        -  ii.  4 

Drink        -         -    ii.  21 

Drowning           -    ii.  72 

Drusilla   -        -    i.  288 

Dulcimer           -   ii.  122 

Dura        -         -    i.  251 

Duty  in  trial     -    i.  29 

Dwellings          -   ii.  14 

Dyer         -        -  ii.  12 

E. 

Eagle        -        -    i.  34 
Early   conversions 

ii.  250 

,,      rising      -  ii.  3 

Ear  the  ground      i.  22 

Eastern  manners  ii.  1 

Eber         -        -    i.  142 

Ebony      -        -    i.  94 

Economy         -    ii.  23 

Eden         -         -    i.  165 

Edessa      -        -    i.  224 

Edom  i.  105, 188;  ii.  188 

Edrie         -         -   ii.  110 

Eaypt  -    i.  130;  ii.  188 

Ehud        -        -    i.  240 

Elah,  vale  of     -    i.  192 

Elders,  seventy     ii.  64 
Eli            -        -    i.  .2/0 

Eliezer     -        -   ii.  103 

Elijah    -    -     i.  174,  258 

Elimelech         -    i.  280 

Elisha       -         -     i.  260 

Elishamah         -     i.  274 

Elizabeth           -     i.  286 

Kikanah   -         -     i.  254 

Elon         -        -    i.  240 

Embalming       -   ii.  32 

Emblem  of  Egypt  i.  59 

Emblems           -     i.  84 

Employment    -  ii.  12 

Engedi      -        -    i.  186 

En-hsh  Bible  -   ii.  179 

Engraver  -         -   ii.  12 

Envy       -         -   ii.  200 

Ephesus    -         -   ii.  114 

Ephod  of  Gideon   i.  237 

Epitaphs  -         -   ii.  34 

Esau          -      i.  189,  230 

Eschol      -        -    i.  156 

Esdraelon          -     i.  184 

Eihnarch           -    ii.  65 

Eunice     -         -    i.  288 


294 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


Euphrates 

i. 

158 

Euroclydon 

i. 

211 

Euxine  sea 

i. 

140 

Evangelists 

ii. 

184 

Evans,  John     - 

ii. 

263 

Evidence,  trials 

ii. 

66 

Executions 

ii. 

73 

Exodus 

ii. 

272 

Ezekiel    - 

i. 

263 

Ezra     -    i.  274 

;  ii- 

281 

F. 

Faith 

ii. 

246 

„      A  Dram   - 

i. 

225 

Falcon 

i. 

42 

Fall  of  man 

i. 

62 

ii. 

242 

Fallow-ground  - 

ii. 

.   37 

Falsehood  -    ii. 

11)1 

,196 

Familiar  spirit  - 

ii. 

134 

Famine    - 

ii. 

23 

Farming  - 

ii. 

36 

Feasts 

ii. 

60 

,,      Annual 

ii. 

152 

Feet-washing-   - 

ii. 

8 

Festivals  - 

ii. 

152 

Fig           -        - 

i. 

82 

,,     Mulberry 

i. 

88 

Fir  •• 

i. 

94 

First  man 

i. 

219 

Fish 

i. 

56 

Fishermen 

i. 

56 

Fitches    - 

i. 

105 

Flag 

i. 

115 

Flails       - 

ii. 

44 

Flax 

i. 

315 

Flood 

ii. 

268 

Flowers    -       i. 

117 

,121 

Flute 

ii. 

172 

Fly          -        - 

i. 

82 

Flying  fr.  God  - 

i. 

9 

Food         -    i.  32;  ii.  20 

Fords  of  Jordan 

i. 

191 

Forests 

i. 

90 

Forgiveness      ii 

.  67 

,204 

Forum 

ii. 

69 

Fosse 

ii. 

93 

Fowl 

L 

44 

Fox 

i. 

12 

Frankincense    - 

i. 

108 

Frank  mountain 

i. 

124 

Friendship 

ii. 

11 

Frog 

i. 

60 

Frost 

i. 

206 

Fruits,  food 

ii. 

20 

Fuller       - 

ii. 

13 

Furniture 

ii. 

18 

Galatia     - 

.    i.     140 

Galbanum 

-    i.     108 

Galilee     - 

-     i.     128 

,,       sea 

-    i.     148 

Gall-fly     - 

-    i.      91 

Gamaliel  - 

-  ii.     176 

Garlic 

-    i.     103 

Gates 

-  ii.      93 

Gehenna  - 

-    i.     192 

Generations 

-    i.     220 

Gennesareth 

-    i.     149 

Geoige  III. 

-  ii.     215 

Gerar    -    i. 

193 ;  ii.  109 

Giants      - 

-    i.     240 

Gibeon 

-    i.     193 

Gideon 

i.  236,  24<i 

Gifts 

-  ii.       50 

„    of  God 

-   ii.       51 

Gihon 

-    i.     156 

Gilead      - 

i.  134,  180 

Gin 

-  ii.       40 

Girdle 

-  ii.  4, 82 

tiluttony  - 

ii.    21,  61 

Goat 

-    i.       24 

God,  repenting 
„     attributes 


„  existence  -  ii. 
Gods  of  heathen  ii, 
Gold  -  -  i, 
Golden  image  -  i 
Goliath  -  -  i 
Good  things  ill-timed 

i. 
Gopher-wood  -  i. 
Goshen  -  -  i. 
Gospels  -  -  ii. 
Gourd,  Jonah's  i. 
Grace  v.  nature  i. 
Grasshopper  -  i. 
Grapes  -  i.  78 ;  ii 
Greetings  -  -  ii. 
Grinding  com  -  ii. 
Guests       -         ii.  60 


Habakkuk 
H  abergeon 
Hadasseh 
Haggai     -         -     i 
Hail  -         -     i 

Hall,  Robert  -  ii 
Hainan  -  -  i 
Hampton  Court  i 
Hands,  washing  ii 


-  i.     26* 

-  ii.       82 
i.  120,  284 

-  i.     264 

-  i.     207 

-  ii.     262 

-  i.     284 
78 

8 


Hanging  - 

ii. 

72 

Hannah    - 

i. 

254 

Hare 

i. 

26 

Harp 

ii. 

122 

Harvest    - 

ii. 

44 

Hauran     - 

i. 

222 

Hawk 

i. 

42 

Hazeroth  - 

i. 

196 

Head-dress 

ii. 

5 

Health      - 

ii. 

29 

Heat 

i. 

214 

Heathen  gods   - 

ii. 

132 

,.     temples    - 

ii. 

136 

Heaven     -         ii 

61 

262 

Hebrew    - 

i. 

224 

„     Alphabet 

ii. 

126 

Hebron      i.  193 ; 

ii. 

108 

Heliopolis 

i. 

161 

Hell 

ii. 

264 

Helmet     - 

ii. 

83 

Herbs 

ii. 

20 

Hermon    -      i. 

154 

,  182 

Herod 

i. 

13 

,,     tomb 

j. 

124 

Heron 

i. 

41 

Hesperus  - 

i. 

141 

Hexapla    - 

ii. 

185 

Hiddekel- 

i. 

159 

High  Priest      - 

i. 

273 

ii. 

142 

Hinnon    - 

i. 

192 

Hippopotamus  - 

i. 

8 

Hoar-iiost 

i. 

207 

Hog 

i. 

32 

Holy  Spirit,  offices 

ii. 

232 

„      person 

ii. 

230 

Home,  sweet  home ! 

i. 

55 

Honey 

i. 

69 

Hor 

i. 

178 

Horeb 

i. 

196 

Horites     - 

i. 

188 

Horim 

i. 

194 

Hosea 

i. 

264 

Hophni     - 

i. 

270 

Hospitality 

ii. 

62 

Horn 

ii. 

123 

Hornet     - 

i. 

70 

Horse 

i. 

10 

,,     -leech 

i. 

61 

House 

ii. 

16 

„       of  God  - 

ii. 

161 

,,       of  Israel 

i. 

231 

„       v.  Home 

ii. 

17 

Humility  - 

ii. 

216 

Hunting    - 

ii. 

40 

INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


295 


Husbandry  -  ii.  36 

Husbands  -  ii.  26 

Husks      -  -  i.  92 

Hyke        -  -  ii.  4 

Hyssop     -  i.  98 

I. 


Ibis 

-    i. 

55 

lbzan 

-    i. 

240 

Iconium   - 

-   ii 

US 

Idleness   - 

-   ii. 

13 

Idolatry    - 

-  ii. 

130 

, ,           fate  of    i. 

31 

Idols        _     - 

-   ii. 

132 

Idumea"   - 

-    i. 

188 

Ill-gi  i  gains 

-    i. 

51 

Ill-timed  gooc 

61 

Incense    - 

ii.  10 

150 

„     altar  of 

-   ii. 

250 

Incremation 

-   ii. 

34 

Industry  - 

-   ii. 

23 

Infantry   - 

-  ii. 

88 

Intidels    - 

-   ii. 

219 

Ink 

-   ii. 

127 

Inno 

-  ii. 

54 

Instinct  v.  reason  i. 

17,47 

Intaglio   - 

.    i. 

203 

Iron 

-    i. 

200 

Isaac  offered 

-    i. 

225 

Ishmael    - 

-    i. 

144 

Ishtob      - 

-    i. 

132 

Israel 

-    i. 

230 

ii.  278 

,280 

J. 

Jabbok     - 

.    i. 

150 

J  abin 

-    i. 

177 

Jacinth     - 

-    i. 

202 

J  acob 

.    i. 

230 

Jacob's  well 

-    i. 

170 

J  air 

-    i. 

240 

Jasper 

-    }■ 

202 

Javelin     -         -  ii.  84 
Jealousy,  water  of 

ii.  G7 
Jehosbaphat,  valley 

i.  192 

Jehovah-shalom    i.  236 

Jennin     -        -    i.  192 

Jephthah-        -    i.  240 

Jeremiah           -    i.  262 

Jeremiah,  vale  of  i.  192 

Jericho     -         -     i.  84 
ii.    108,  276 

Jeroboam          -    i.  248 


Jerusalem        -  ii.     191 

„     ancient         ii.       98 

,,     modern        ii.     100 

Jesse        -        i.  244,281 

Jesus  in  Galilee    i.     129 

,,     in  storm       i.     14'l 

Jewels     -    i.  202;  ii.   10 

Jews         -        -   ii.     188 

Jezebel    -        i.  250,  282 

Jezreel     -        -    i.     185 

ii.    95,  106 

„      battle  i.     236 

Joash       -        -    i.    2o6 

Job  -        -    i.     222 

Jocktisl    -        -    i.     195 

Joel  -         -     i.     264 

John  Baptist     -     i.     266 

Jonah         -        i.  8,  256 

Jonathan    -     i.  242,  244 

Joppa  i.   8,  256  ;  ii.   119 

Jordan    -     i.  9,  154,  190 

,      fish  -     i.       56 

,',     swelling     i.  3,  191 

,,     tributaries     i.     156 

Joseph      -        -    i.     232 

„     Caiaphas       i.     272 

Joshua      i.  234;  ii.  276 

Journeying-      -   ii.       54 

Judah        -    ii.    278,  280 

Judea        i.  124;  ii.  188 

Judges        -    i.  235,  241 

Judgment,  Solomon 

ii.  67 
Judgment,  the  ii.  260 
Julia  -  -  i.  288 
Julian  -  ii.  100,  159 
Juniper  -  i.  77,  92 
Justice     .   ii.  66,  68,  210 


Kadesh    -        -    i.  195 

Kanah      -        -    i.  165 

Kedron     -         -     i.  156 

Kenath     -        -   ii.  110 

Khamsin  -         -     i.  210 

Khans       -         •   ii.  54 

Kbarub  tree     -    i.  33 

King        -    i.  243  ;  ii.  74 

,,     of  kings  -   ii.  75 

„     table  of   -   ii.  78 

Kingdom,  Israel    i.  249 

„     Judah      -    i.  249 

Kishou     -         -     i.  164 

Kite  -         i.     36,  42 

Kneading  troughs 

ii.  22 


Knowledge        -  ii.       19 
Koh-i-noor       -    i.     202 


Labour    -  -    i.  165 

Lachrymatories    ii.  19 

Lahairoi  -     i.  229 

Lamp        -  -   ii.  19 

Language  -   ii.  270 

Laocucea  -  -  ii.  115 

Laurel      -  -    i.  94 

Laver       -  -  ii.  150 

Lead         -  -    i.  291 

Leah          -  -     i.  278 

Lean-kine  -    i.  23 

Lebanon    -  i.  76,90,182 

Leek         -  -     i.  102 

Lentils      -  -     i.  104 

Leopard    -  -     i.  6 

Levant     -  -     i.  146 

Leviathan  -     i.  58 

Levi,  house  of  -    i.  271 

Levite       -  -    ii.  115 

Leviticus,  Bk.  of  ii.  145 

Light       -  -    i.  214 

Li<<n  aloes  -    i.  87 

Lily          -  -    i.  118 

Lion          -  -    i.  2 

Little  sins  -    i.  31 

,,     things  -     i.  31 

Lizard       -  -     i.  59 

Locust      -  -     i.  66 

,.    beans  -    i.  92 

Lois          -  -    i.  288 

Loom        -  -   ii.  49 

Lord's  prayer  -  ii.  25 

Lot           -  -    i.  236 

„    wife  -    i.  266 

Lots           -  -  ii.  66 

Love  of  Christ  -    i.  45 

,,     of  country    i.  55 

Lunatic    -  -    i.  216 

Lycadonia  -    i.  140 

Lycanthropy  -    i.  251 

Lycia       -  -    i.  140 

Lydia,       -  -    i.  288 

M. 

Maachah  -    i.     134,  282 

Maccabeans  -   ii.  282 

Mace         -  -   ii,  84 

Magi  ians  -  ii.  134 

Magistrates  -  ii.  64 

M.hlon     -  -     i.  280 

Mail,  coat  of  -   ii.  82 

Major  prophets     i.  2l2 


20G 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


Malachi    -        -     i. 

265 

Minor  prophets      i. 

264 

Naomi 

-     i. 

280 

Malice       -         -   ii. 

213 

Mint         -        -    i. 

113 

Narcissus 

.    i. 

116 

Mamre     -        -    i. 

102 

Mintage    -        -  ii. 

57 

National  emblems  i. 

59 

Man         -        -    i. 

277 

Miracles    i.  252;  ii. 

166 

Natural  affection    i. 

55 

„    body        -   ii. 

238 

Mirrors     -        -  ii. 

10 

Nature's  harmonies 

,,     creation   -  ii. 

238 

Misseltoe  -        -    i. 

191 

i. 

47 

„    fall  of       -    i. 

62 

Mizraim   -         -     i. 

131 

Nature  v.  grace     i. 

25 

ii. 

242 

Moab        -        -    i. 

134 

Nazareth  - 

-   ii. 

104 

„    resurrection  of 

Mole         -        -    i. 

30 

Nazarite  - 

.    i. 

238 

ii. 

258 

Moloch     -        -  ii. 

132 

Nebo 

-  ii. 

133 

„     soul          ■•   ii. 

230 

Money       i.    201;  i 

.  56 

„      mt. 

.    i. 

179 

„     the  first   -    i. 

219 

Monogamy        -   ii. 

26 

Nebuchadnezzar    i. 

250 

Mandrake         -    i. 

98 

Moon        -        -    i. 

216 

Necromancer 

-   ii. 

134 

Manna       -     i.  93  ; 

i.  2'i 

Moph        -        -    i. 

161 

Nehemiah 

.     i. 

276 

Mantle      -        -  ii. 

4 

Moral  culture   -  ii. 

37 

Nephilim 

.    i. 

240 

Manuscripts      -   ii. 

181 

Morality  of  trade  i. 

139 

Nergal 

-   ii. 

133 

Maple       -         -     i. 

38 

Moriah      i.    168;  ii 

.    98 

Net- 

-   ii. 

41 

Marriage  -         »   ii. 

26 

Moses       i.  161,  173 

2)2 

New  Birth 

-   ii. 

248 

Mars          -        -   ii. 

132 

Moth        -        -    i. 

74 

Nibhaz      - 

-   ii. 

133 

Martha     -        -    i. 

216 

Mount  Abarim       i. 

179 

Nightshade 

-   ii. 

47 

Martyrs    -         -   ii. 

173 

,,    Ararat     -    i. 

166 

Nile 

.     j. 

130 

Mary,  mo.  of  Jamts 

,,     Carmel     -     i. 

174 

Nineveh    - 

ii.  113 

,  190 

i. 

2S6 

„     Ebal        -    i. 

170 

Nisroch    - 

-   ii. 

133 

„    of  Acts  and  Epis. 

„     Gerizim  i.  168 

170 

No 

-    i. 

161 

i. 

288 

„     Gilead.    -    i. 

180 

Noah 

.    jg 

220 

,,    of  Bethany  i. 

286 

„     Hermon  -    i. 

182 

Nod 

.    j. 

144 

„     of  Magdala  i. 

286 

„     Hor          -    i. 

178 

Noph 

.    i. 

161 

„     Virgin     -     i. 

286 

„     Horeb       -     i. 

173 

Nose-jewel 

-  ii. 

11 

Masada    -        -    i. 

124 

,,     Lebanon  -    i. 

182 

Mason      -        -  ii. 

13 

„     Moriah    -    i. 

168 

O 

Masorah    -        -   ii. 

181 

„    Nebo        -    i. 

179 

Mazzeroth         -    i. 

217 

„     Olivet      -    i. 

80 

Oak 

-    i.  90,95 

Meals       -        -  ii. 

21 

„     Pisgah    -     i. 

178 

,,     ofBashan     i. 

90 

Measures  -        -  ii. 

59 

„     Seir          -    i. 

188 

Obed 

-    i. 

281 

Mediterranean  i.  56 

,  146 

,,     Sinai       -     i. 

172 

Observers,  times  ii. 

134 

Medicine  -         -   ii. 

28 

„     Tabor       -    i. 

176 

Obstinacy 

-     i. 

11 

Megiddo  -        -    i. 

185 

Mourners          -    i. 

41 

Occupation 

-   ii. 

12 

ii.  95 

106 

Mourning          -   ii. 

31 

Officials,  city 

-   ii. 

G4 

Melchizcdek      -    i. 

270 

Mouse       -        -    i. 

31 

„     palace 

-   ii. 

78 

Melita      -        -    i. 

146 

Mulberry              i.  88,  91 

Og 

-     i. 

241 

Melon      -         -    i. 

79 

Mule        -        -     i. 

16 

Oil-tree     - 

.    i. 

80 

Memory,  Map  -     i. 

122 

Mummy  -         -  ii. 

32 

Olive 

-     i. 

80 

Memphis  -         -     i. 

161 

Music       -        -  ii. 

122 

Olives,  food 

-   ii. 

20 

Merchandise     -   ii. 

58 

Mustard   -        -    i. 

102 

Olivet,  mt. 

-     i. 

80 

Merchant          -   ii. 

59 

Myrrh       -         -     i. 

110 

Omens 

-   ii. 

94 

Mercury  -        -   ii. 

132 

Myrtle      -         -     i. 

120 

On 

-     i. 

161 

Mercy      -        -   ii. 

67 

Mysia       -        -    i. 

140 

Onion 

-     i. 

102 

Merodach          -  ii. 

132 

Onycha     - 

-    i. 

108 

Merom      -   i.  154  ; 

i.  95 

N. 

Onyx 

-     i. 

203 

Mesopotamia     -     i. 

132 

Nablus     -        i.  168 

170 

Ophir 

-     i. 

144 

Metals,  precious     i. 

198 

Nahash    -         -     i. 

242 

Ophrah     - 

-     i. 

236 

,,     useful       -     i. 

200 

Nahum     -         -    i. 

264 

Oral  tradition 

-     i. 

224 

Micah       -         -     i. 

264 

Nail  of  tent       -   ii. 

15 

Ordeal 

-   ii. 

66 

Michal      -        -    i. 

283 

Nain         -        -  ii. 

105 

Orfah 

-     i. 

224 

Mifidol     -        -    i. 

96 

Naked      -        -  ii. 

4 

Orient 

.    i. 

141 

Mills         -        -  ii. 

22 

Name,  good,  bad   i. 

273 

Oriental  customs  ii. 

1 

Miner       •        -  ii. 

13 

Names      -         -    i. 

231 

Organs      - 

-  ii. 

123 

IT7PEX    OF    8UBJKCTK. 


297 


Orion 
Ornaments 

Osprey     - 
Ossifrage  - 
Ostrich. 
Ovens 

„    bread 
Owl 
Ox   - 

,,    goad 


Painters  - 

Painting  - 

Palaces     - 

Palestine 

Patriotism 

Paley 

Palm 

,,     Sunday 
Palmer- worm 
Palmyra  - 
Pamphylia 
Papacy     - 
Paper-reed 
Papyrus  - 
Parables  - 
Parched  corn 
Parchment 
Partridge 
Passage  of  R< 

Passion  week 
Passover  - 
Patience  - 
Patmos  - 
Patriarchate 
Patriarchs 
Paul 

Peacock    - 
Peace  v.  war 
Pearl 
Pecuniary 
Pelican     - 
Pencil,  cedar 
Pentateuch 


Pentecost  i 

Perfection 

Perfumes 

Perga        - 

Pergamos 

Perseverance 

Peter 

„    at  Rome 

„    denial 


141 


i. 

217 

ii. 

12 

i. 

43 

i. 

48 

i. 

40 

ii. 

22 

ii. 

24 

i. 

40 

i. 

22 

i. 

242 

ii. 

129 

ii. 

128 

ii. 

80 

i. 

123 

i. 

55 

ii. 

215 

i. 

84 

i. 

89 

i. 

74 

ii. 

110 

i. 

140 

ii. 

121 

i. 

114 

i. 

114 

ii. 

164 

ii. 

20 

ii. 

126 

i. 

50 

Sea 

i. 

153 

ii. 

170 

ii. 

152 

ii. 

206 

i. 

146 

i. 

233 

i. 

233 

ii. 

179 

i. 

50 

ii. 

89 

i. 

203 

j# 

22 

i. 

52 

i. 

77 

145 

,  179 

ii. 

152 

ii. 

254 

ii. 

10 

ii. 

115 

ii. 

126 

ii. 

254 

ii. 

174 

ii. 

121 

175 

i. 

45 

Petra  -  -  i. 
Pharaoh  -  -  i. 
Pharaoh's  heart  i. 
Pharpar  -        -    i. 

Philadelphia  -  ii. 
Philippi  -  ••  ii. 
Philistia  -  -  i. 
Philistines  -  i. 
Phineas  -  i.  271, 
Phoenicia  -  i.  84, 
Phoenician  idolatry 

Phoenix    -  -  i. 

Phrygia   -  -  i. 

Physical  strength  i. 

Physicians  -  ii. 

Pi-hahiroth  -  i. 

Pillow      -  -  ii. 

Pine          -  -  i. 

Pious  parents  -  i. 

Pipe          -  -  ii. 

Pisgah      -  -  i. 

Pisidia      -  -  i. 

Pison        -  -  i. 

Pitcher     -  -  ii. 

Pitfall        -  -  ii. 

Plague,  frogs  -  i. 

Pleiades   -  -  i. 

Poetry      -  -  ii. 

Politeness  -  ii. 

Polygamy  -  ii. 

Pomegranate  -  i. 

Pontes  Euxinus  i. 

Pontus      -  -  i. 

Poplar       -  -  i. 

Popular  fallacies  i. 

Porch       -  -  i. 

Potter       -  -  ii. 

Praitorium  -  ii. 

Prayer  -  -  i. 
Prayer  neglected   i. 

Precipitation  -  ii. 

Precious  metals  i. 

Predictions  -  ii. 

„     cities  -  ii. 

„    nations  -  ii. 

„     persons  -  ii. 

Presbyter-  -  ii. 

Pride         -  -  ii. 

Priest        -  -  ii. 

„    high  -  ii. 

Priests     -  -  i. 

Printing   -  -  ii. 

Prisca       -  -  i. 

Priscilla   -  -  i. 

Prison  diet  -  ii. 
Prisoners  of  war  ii. 


l'.U 
57 
252 
162 
114 
117 
136 
137 
272 
138 

63 

84 

140 

239 

28 

196 

18 

94 

255 

123 

178 

140 

165 

18 

40 

50 

217 

124 

53 

27 

96 

140 

14i) 

91 

53 

129 

13 

80 

277 

9 

72 
198 
188 
190 
Lss 
192 
142 
198 
142 
142 
272 
126 
2ss 
2,ss 
21 


Prisons     - 
Prison  training 
Prize 

Proconsul 
Procurator 
Prophecy  - 
Professions 
Properties 
Prophets  - 

,,     major 

,,    minor 

,,    office 
Providence 
Psalms 
Publican  - 
Punishments     i 


i.  73 

i.  207 

i.  7 

•:.  65 

i.  65 

i.  183 

i.  12 

i.  50 

i.  255 

i.  262 

i.  264 

i.  263 

37,  57 

i.  122 

i.  65 

68,  70, 

72 

Purifications     -  ii.  9 

Purim   -    i.  284;  ii.  153 

Q. 

Quail        -         -     i.  50 

Quince     -        -    i.  83 

Queen      -        -    i.  283 

„    ofSheba-    i.  112 

143,  282 

R. 

Race         -        -   ii. 

Rachael   -        -    i. 

Rain         -         -     i. 

Raisins     -        -   ii. 

Rattlesnake       -     i. 

Raven      -        -    i. 

Reaping  -        -  ii.  44,  45 

Reason  v.  instinct  i.  47 


6 

278 

204 

46 

65 

36 


Rebekah 
Rechab 
Red  Sea    - 
Reed 

Refining  -  -  i. 
Refuge,  cities  of  ii. 
Regeneration  -  ii. 
Rehoboam  -     i. 

Reins,  of  horse  -  i. 
Remphan  -  ii. 

Repentance 
Rephaim  - 


i.  278 
i.  143 
115,  152 
i.  114 
i.  199 
70 

-  ii.     248 

-  i.     248 

-  i.       10 

-  ii.     132 
9;  ii.  244 

i.  192,  240 
Resurrection,  Christ 

ii.  171 
„  of  body  -  ii.  258 
Revelation  -  ii.  131,  179 
Rhinoceros  -  i.  9 
Rhoda  -  -  i.  288 
Rhododendron  -  i.  96 
Riches  -  -  ii.  57 
Rimmon  -  i.  96,  132 

Rings       -         -   ii.       10 
River-fish         -    i.       56 


298 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


Rivers 

i. 

159 

,,     Arnon 

i. 

15G 

,,     Besor 

i. 

165 

„     Cherith    - 

i. 

156 

„     Damascus 

i. 

162 

„     Eschol 

i. 

156 

„     Euphrates 

i. 

15S 

„     Gihon 

i. 

165 

„     Hiddekel 

i. 

159 

„     Jordan    i. 

L54, 

190 

„        „         tribs.  i 

156 

,,     Kanah     - 

i. 

165 

„     Kedron    - 

i. 

156 

„    Kishon    - 

i. 

164 

„    Nile 

i. 

160 

,,    of  Eden   - 

i. 

164 

„    of  truth   - 

i. 

163 

,,     Sihor 

i. 

164 

„     Tigris 

i. 

158 

„     Zared      - 

i. 

158 

Boasting  - 

ii. 

21 

Bobe 

ii. 

4 

„     royal 

ii. 

76 

Bom.  Catholicism  i. 

5 

Rome 

ii. 

120 

Route  of  Israel  - 

i. 

152 

Royalty    - 

ii. 

74 

Ruby 

i. 

203 

Rue 

i. 

98 

Rulers 

ii. 

64 

Ruth 

i. 

280 

S. 

Sabbatical  year 

ii. 

153 

Sackbut    - 

ii. 

122 

Sacrifice    -      ii. 

138 

,154 

Saddle      - 

i. 

10 

Sagan 

i. 

272 

Salam 

ii. 

98 

Salome 

i. 

286 

Salutations 

ii. 

52 

Samaria     i.  126 

;  ii 

106 

Samaritan  i.  127 

;  i 

.  281 

Samos 

i. 

146 

Samothracia      - 

i. 

146 

Samson     -        i. 

271 

,238 

Samuel      -        i. 

271 

,  254 

Sanctification    - 

ii. 

256 

Sanctuaries 

ii. 

71 

Sandal 

ii. 

5 

Sapphire  - 

i. 

203 

Sarah       -         i. 

22* 

,  278 

Sardis 

ii. 

114 

Sardonyx 

i. 

203 

Satan      i.  3,  22[ 

;  i 

.  236 

Saul 

i. 

242 

Scape  goat 

i. 

25 

Sceptre     -        -  ii.       77 
Schools  of  prophets 

i.     255 

Scorpion  -        -    i.       72 

Scourging  -   ii.       98 

Scribe       -         -     i.     274 

Scriptures    -  ii.  126,181 

Scrupulous        -  ii.     215 

Sculpture      -         ii.     128 

Sea  -        -    i.       47 

„    Dead        -    i.     151 

„     Galilee  -  i.  56, 148 

„     Mediterranean!.  146 

,,     of  Brass  -     i.       23 

„     ofCilicia-    i.     146 

„     of  Lot      i.  151,  227 

„     of  Pamphylia  i.  146 

„     of  Plain  -    i.     15  L 

„     of  Salt     -     i.     151 

,,     of  Sodom       i.     151 

,,     of  Tiberias    i.     149 

„     Bed         -    i.     152 

Seasons    -        -    i.     212 

Seed  time  -        -  ii.      42 

„     good         -  ii.      43 

Seething  -         -    ii.       21 

Seir  -         -     i.     188 

Sennacherib's  army  i.  38 

Sentences  -   ii.       68 

Seriah      -       i.  272,  274 

Serpent    -        -    i.       62 

,,     charming      i.       65 

Seth,  race  of     -    i.     221 

Septuagint      ii.   179, 282 

Seventy  Elders     ii.       64 

Shaalbim  -        -    i.        3 

Shamgar  -         -     i.     240 

Shark       -        -    i. 

Shebna     -         -     i.     274 

Shusan      -   i.  119;  ii.  80 

Shechem  -        -    i.    170, 

ii.     106 

Sheep  i.  20,  25, 59 ;  ii.  39 

Shekinah  -         -   ii.     148 

Shepherd        i.  25;  ii.  38 

Shew  bread        -  ii.     150 

Shield       -         -   ii.       82 

Shiloh      -        -  ii.     106 

Shimei      -         -     i.     244 

Shimshai  -    i.     274 

Ship  of  desert  -    i.       18 

Ships        -        -    i.     144 

Shittah-tree      -    i.      S6 

Shittim  wood    -    i.       86 

Shoshannun  i.    119 

Showers    -        -    i.     205 

Shual        -        -    i.         3 


Shunem    -  -  ii.  105 

Sickness   -  -   ii.  28 

Sidon        i.    138;  ii.  118 

Sieges       -  -    ii.  92 

Sihor        -  -    i.  164 

Silver       -  -    i.  198 

Simoom    -  -    i.  210 

Sinai         -  -     i.  172 

Sinaiiic  MS.  -   ii.  185 

Sins,  little  -   ii.  47 

Sirocco      -  -    i.  210 

Sisera       -  -     i.  165 

Slander     -  -   ii.  212 

Sleep         -  -  ii  2 

Sling        -  -  ii.  85 

Sloth        -  -   ii.  2,  13 

Slug         -  -    i.  61 

Smelling-boxes      i.  Ill 

Smith       -  -  ii.  13 

Smvrna    -  -  ii.  114 

Snail         -  -     i.  60 

Snare        -  -  ii.  40 

Snow        -  -    i.  206 

Socrates    -  -  ii.  255 

Soldiers    -  -   ii.  88 

Solitude  -  i.  173,  259 

Solomon   -  -     i.  246 

„    judgment    ii.  67 

„    throne  -    'i.  3 

Soothsayer  -  ii.  134 

Sopher      -  -    i.  274 

Sorcerer    -  -  ii.  134 

Sorek        -  -    i.  192 

Sowing     -  -   ii.  42 

Sparrow   -  -     i.  49 

Spear        -  -  ii.  84 
Speech  i.  11, 129  ;  ii.  270 

Spider      -  -    i.  74 

Spikenard  -    i.  108 

Spinning  -  -   ii.  49 

Spinster   -  -   ii.  49 

Spoil,  war  -   ii.  95 

Spring      -  -    i.  212 

Standard  -  -  ii.  90 

Stars        -  -    i.  216 

St.  Augustine       ii.  217 

St.  George  -    i.  136 

St.  John's  bread    i.  93 

Stocks      -  ■    ii.  73 

Stoning    -  -   ii.  72 

Stool         -  -  ii.  18 

Stork        -  -     i.  54 

Storms      -  -    i.  210 

Strangling  -   ii.  72 

Stratagems  -  ii.  95 

Streams'   -  -    i.  157 

Stylus       -  -  ii.  127 


INDEX    OF   SUBJECTS. 


290 


Submission       -    1. 

Sue/,  -         -     i. 


Summer  -       -    i.  212 

Sun           -        -    i.  214 

Superstition      -  ii.  15 

Supreme  Ruler    ii.  Go 

Swallow   -         -    i.  49 

Sweet  cane       -     i.  Ill 

Swelling  of  Jordan  i.  191 

Swine        -        -     i.  32 

Sword       -        -  ii.  84 

Sycamine           -     i.  88 

Sycamore          -    i.  88 

Synagogue        -  ii.  160 

T. 

Tabernacle        -  ii.  146 

Tabernacles       -   ii.  14 

,,  feast  of  ii.  153 
Tabitha    -        i.    29,  288 

Table,  length       ii.  59 

,,    measures,  dry 


11.  OS 

,,       „     liquid  ii.  58 

,,    money     -   ii.  56 

,,     weight      -   ii.  59 
Table,  shew-bread 

ii.  150 
Tablets     -        ii.  10,  127 

Tabor       -        -    i.  177 

Tabret      -        -  ii.  123 

Tadmor    -         -  ii.  110 

Tamar      -        -    i.  85 

Tamarisk           -    i.  93 

Tammuz  -         -   ii.  133 

Tanner     -         -   ii.  13 

Tares         -         -     i.  106 

Target      -         -   ii.  82 

Tarshish  -         -     i.  144 

Tear-bottle        -  ii.  19 

Teil-tree  -        -    i.  94 

Tempest  -        -    i.  210 

Temples,  heathen  ii.  136 

„     tbe  first   -   ii.  156 

„    the  second  ii.  158 

Temptation        -     i.  63 

Temptation,  the    i.  187 

Tent          -         -   ii.  14 

„    maker      -  ii.  13 
Terebinth       -    i.   90,  95 

Tetrarch  -        -  ii.  65 

Tbebes      -        -    i.  101 

Theocracy         -  ii.  64 

Thistle     -        -    i.  100 

Thorns     -        -    i.  100 
Threshing          ii.  37,  44 


Thrones   -        -   ii.  76 

Solomon's  i.  3 

Thyatira  -         -    ii.  Ill 

I  li  vine      -        -    i.  87 

Tiberias    -        -  ii.  104 

„      sea  of      -     i.  149 

Tigris       -        -    i.  158 

Timbrel    -        -   ii.  123 

Time,  flight  of  -    i.  165 

lob           -        -    i.  134 

Tola          -         -    i.  240 

Tombs       -         -  ii.  34 

Tongue     -  i.  11 ;  ii.  213 

Tongues  -        -  ii.  270 

Topaz  -  -  i.  203 
Tortoise  -        -  i.  59,  60 

Towers      -         -  ii.  92 

Town  clerk  -  ii.  65 
Trade       -        -  ii.  12, 58 

„      morality       i.  139 

Traditions  of  tall  i.  63 

Transfiguration     i.  176 

Trap          -         -   ii.  40 

Travelling  -  ii.  54 
Trials       -         ii.   66,68 

„      duty  in   -    i.  29 

,,      of  good  -    i.  223 

Tribs.  of  Jordan    i.  156 

Tribulation       -     i.  81 

Troas  -  -  ii.  115 
Troughs,  kneading  ii.  22 

Trumpet  -        -  ii.  123 

„    feast  of    -   ii.  153 

Truth        -         -   ii.  194 

Tunic       -         -   ii.  4 

Turpentine  tree  i.  95 
Tyre    i.  138  ;  ii.  118, 190 

U. 

Unclean  animals   i.  32 

Unicorn    -        -    i.  9 

Union      -        -  ii.  279 

Ur   -        -        -    i.  224 

Urijah      -        -    i.  272 

Uriel        -        -    i.  282 

Useful  metals   -    i.  200 

Utensils,  bread     ii.  22 

„    cooking    -  ii.  21 

Uz   -        -        -    i-  222 


V. 

Valley     -        -  i.  192 

„    of  Jordan  i.  190 

Valeria    -        -  i.  90 

Vashti      -        -  i.  283 

Vatican  MS.     -  ii.  185 


Vegetable  food  ii.  20 

Velocity  of  wind  i.  210 

Venison  -  -  i.  28 
Vespasian's  medal 

i.  81,  125 

Victory    -        -  ii.  94 

Vine          -         -  i.  78 

Vineyard  -        -  ii.  46 

Vintage    -        -  ii.  46 

Viol          -        -  ii.  122 

Viper        -         -  i.  64 

Visions     -         -  ii.  140 

Volume     -         -  ii.  126 

Vulgar  errors   -  i.  53 

Vulgate    -        -  ii.  179 

Vulture    -        -  i.  35 

W. 

Waffy-esh-sheik    i.     196 
Wafers     -         -   ii.       24 
Walla        -        -  ii.       92 
Wandering  Israel  i.     196 
War         -        -  ii.  82, 84 
,,    v.  peace    -   ii.       89 
Washing  -         -   ii.         8 
Waste       -         ii.  21,  23 
Water  of  Jealousy    ii.  67 
Waters  of  life   -     i.     151 
„    of  Merom     i.     154 
„    ofNiie     -    i.     100 
Weapons  -  ii.  82,  84 

Weasel  -  -  i.  30 
Weaver  -  -  ii.  13 
Weaving  -  -  ii.  49 
Weights  -  -  ii.  59 
Well  of  Jacob  -  i.  170 
Whale      -  i.  8,  266 

Widow  -    i.       281 

Wilberforce  -  ii.  262 
Wilderness  -  i.  186 
Willow  -  -  i.  89 
Wind  -  -  i.  209 
Winepress  -  ii.  46 
Winnowing  -  ii.  44 
Winter  -  -  i.  212 
Wisdom  -  -  i.  41 
of  Sol.  i.  247 
Wise  men  -  ii.  134 
Witnesses  -  ii.       66 

Wives  -  -  ii.  26 
Wizard  -  -  ii.  134 
Wolf  -  -  i.  6 
Woman  -  i.  279.  287 
Women,  good,  bad  i.  287 
Wool  -  -  ii.  39 
Word  painting  ii.  129 
Work        -   i.  261 ;  ii.  13 


300 


INDEX    OF    TEXT8. 


Worship, living  things 

Y. 

Zebulon    - 

i.     192 

ii.    130 

Yoke-fellow      -    i 

.       23 

Zechariah 

i.     265 

,,    of  moon  -   ii.     130 

Zephaniah 

i.     264 

„     of  stars     -  ii.     130 

Z 

Zered 

i.    15S 

„    of  sun       -  ii.     130 

Zaccheus  - 

.       89 

Zimb 

i.      71 

„     public      -  ii.     161 

Zadoc 

.    272 

Zorah 

i.      70 

Writing    -        -  ii.     126 

Zeboim     -        -    ] 

3 

Zuzinis     - 

i.    241 

INDEX    OF    TEXTS. 

{Those  only  which  are  brief  ij  explained  or  illustrated.) 


Genesis, 

ii.    7         -  i.  218 

„  8-14    -  i.  164 

„  21-25  -  i.  218 

.,  23        -  i.  218 

iii.  7          -  i.    82 

„  14        -  i.    62 

„  18        -  i.  101 

„  21        -  i.  219 

iv.  11        -  i.    62 

„  14         -  i.  121 

v.  29        -  i.  220 

vi.    2        -  i.  221 

„     9       -  i.  220 

,,  16         -  i.  166 

viii.  5       -  i.  166 

.,  7         -  i.    37 

,,    8-12  -  i.    38 

„  11        -  i.    81 

ix.  12-17  -  i.  221 

xi.  4         -  ii.  270 

xiii.  13      -  ii.    38 

xv.  1-6     -  ii.  274 

xvi.  12      -  i.  143 

xviii.  4     -  ii.      8 

„    25     -  ii.  260 

xix.  2       -  ii.      8 

xx.  12       -  i.  224 

,,33      -  i.  228 

xxi.  22-34  i.    39 

xxii.  17     -  i.  147 

xxv.  23    -  i.  230 

xxvi.  12   -  ii.    43 

„    67    -  i.  228 

xxvii.       -  i.  230 

xxxii.  25    -  ii.  20 

„     31,  32  ii.    20 

xxxiii.  10  ii.    51 

xxxv.  8     -  i.    90 

xxxvi.  24  i.    16 
xxxvii.  9-11   i.  232 

xxxix.  25  i.  Ill 

xli.  20      -  i.    23 


xli.  47       -  ii.    36 

xliii.  25    -  ii.    51 

„    32     -  i.    32 

„     „      -  ii.    39 

xlv.  6        -  i.    22 

xlviii.  18-20  i.  126 

xlix.    4    -  i.  171 

„     11     -  ii.    47 

„     17    -  i.    64 

„    21     -  i.    29 

„     27    -  i.      6 

„    27-31  ii.    36 

1.  2           -  ii.    33 

„  26         -  ii.    36 

Exodus, 

ii.  3          -  i.  114 

„  3-10     -  i.  161 

iii.  2         -  i.    86 

„  8          -  i.    68 

vii.  8        -  i.    60 

viii.  3       -  i.    60 

„    20-32  i.    70 

ix.  31        -  i.  115 

x.  6           -  i.    67 

xvi.  13      -  i.    50 

xvii.  6       -  i.  173 

xxviii.  35  i.    96 

xxx.  12     -  i.  121 

xxxii.  5     -  ii.  133 

xxxiv.  21  -  i.    22 

Leviticus, 

ii.  27         -  ii.    24 

ix.  19,  20  i.    31 

„  32        -  i.    32 

s.  3           -  i.  269 

xi.    5        -  i.    26 

„    7        -  i.    32 

„  13        -  i.    47 

„  14        -  i.    42 

„  16        -  i.    42 

,,  17        -  i.    52 

„  21         -  i.    66 


xi.  29       -  i.    30 

„  „         -  i.    59 

„   „         -  i.    60 

„  30        -  i.    59 

„  „         -  i.    60 

xiv.  4       -  i.    92 

„  4-7     -  i.    77 

,.  49-52.  i.    77 

xvi.  8        -  i.    24 

xix.  19      -  ii.    24 

„     ,.       -  i.    16 

xxiv.  7     -  i.  109 

xxv.  25    -  ii.    70 

xxxiii.  40  i.    83 

Numbers, 

v.  11-31    -  ii.    67 

x.  31         -  ii.    55 

xi.  1          -  ii.  147 

„  5         -  i.    79 

„  31,32-  i.    50 

xii.  10       -  ii.  147 

xiii.  23,  24  i.    78 

xiv.  7       -  i.  122 

xvii.  8      -  i.    97 

xix.  6  i.    77 

„    „        -  i.    92 

„  6-18    -  i.    98 

xxi.  6       -  i.    64 

xxii.  22-35  i.    63 

xxxiii.  49  i.    S6 

Deuteronomy, 

i.  7           -  i.  136 

„  44         -  i.    69 

iii.  4,  5     -  i.  135 

„  13         -  i.  241 

„  25        -  i.  122 

viii.  8        -  i.    82 

,,    9        -  ii.    32 

ix.  21        -  i.  172 

xi.  10,  11  i.  130 

xiv.  7       -  i.    24 

„    8       -  i.    32 


xiv.  11       -       i. 

38 

„  12        -     i. 

43 

„  13        -      i 

42 

„  16        -     i. 

55 

„  17        -     i. 

52 

,,18,19-     i 

30 

xvii.  13     -    ii 

68 

„     16     -      i. 

10 

xx.  19,  20      ii 

93 

xxi.  4       -      i 

22 

„  12       -      i 

121 

xxii.  4       -    ii 

37 

xxv.  4      -      i. 

280 

„     7-10       i 

22 

xxviii.  29      ii 

91 

„      38        i 

66 

xxix.  22-24     i 

135 

xxxii.  32,  33  ii 

47 

„      33  -      i 

64 

xxxiii.  13-16  i 

126 

„     24        i 

138 

Joshua. 

ii.  1          -     i 

86 

iii.  6          -      i 

155 

„    15       -      i 

191 

viii.  30     -      i 

171 

x.  24         -    ii 

5 

xiii.  3       -      i 

165 

xv.  33      -      i 

70 

xix.  26     -      i 

165 

xxiv.  31   -      i 

235 

Judges. 

iii.  18        -    ii 

51 

„  31        -      i 

23 

iv.  6,  12,  14    i 

177 

v.  2          -     i 

10 

,,10        -     i 

177 

„26         -    ii 

15 

vii.  13       -      i 

236 

viii.  22     -      i 

243 

„  27       -     i 

237 

ix.  7-21    -     i 

171 

INDEX    OP    TEXTH. 


301 


ix.  27        -    ii 

47 

2  Kings. 

v.  29 

ii.  258 

xcii.  12     -     i.    77 

ST,  S       -      i 

69 

ii.  24 

i.      4 

viii.  11      - 

i.  115 

oii.  6         -     i.    52 

xv.  4,  5     -  i.  1 

2,13 

iv.  10       - 

ii.    16 

x.  14 

i.    69 

„7          -     i.    43 

„  4          -      i. 

101 

„  19        - 

i.  260 

xv.  33       - 

i.    80 

'iii.  .5        -      i.    34 

Ruth. 

,,  22 

i.  260 

xix.  12 

ii.    89 

civ.  17      -      i.    54 

ii.  4-17     -     i 
„  5, 7      -     i. 
„  14        -     i 

280 
280 

2S0 

„26 
,.  39-41 

i.  201 
ii.    47 

xx.  14-16 
xxvi.  14    - 

i.    64 
i.    37 

„  26       -      i.    59 

cv.  31       -     i.    70 

v.  12 

i.  163 

xxviii.  7  - 

i.  36 

„   34       -      i.    66 

vi.  25 

i.    15 

XXX.  1 

ii.    15 

„   40       -      i.    50 

1  Samuel 

„  25        - 

i.    39 

»      »• 

ii.    38 

cxvin.  12        i.    69 

2ol 

viii.  3 

i.  261 

„     4      - 

i.    92 

cxix.         -      i.    81 

i.  10,  11   -     i. 
„  23         -     i 

„    13     - 

i.    12 

„  28.  29 

i.    47 

cxxvi.  5,  6      ii.  42 

-'-s 

ix. 

i.  250 

xxxviii,  14 

i.  37 

rxxviii.  3        i.    81 

ii.  36         -    ii. 
vi.  4,  5     -      i 

23 
31 
31 

xi.  12       - 

ii.    16 

„        22 

i.  206 

cxl.  3        -      i.    63 

xiv.  7 

i.  10i 

„        31 

i.  217 

exlvii.  9   -      i.    37 

„  11-18    -      i. 

xix.  23      - 

i.  171 

xxxix.  5-8 

i.      4 

cxlix.  3    -      i.    65 

viii.  12     -      i. 

22 

„   25     - 
xxv.  17    - 

i.  210 
i.    9(i 

„      13 

i.    45 

xiv.  4       -      i 

186 

„     13 

i.    54 

Proverbs. 

xxii.  6      -      i. 
„     17-19     i. 

93 

5 

1  Chronicles. 

„     15 
„     16 

i.    46 
i.    46 

v.  19         -      i.    29 
vi.  8          -      i.  213 

xxiv.  4     -     i 

12 

xii.  8 

i.    20 

„     17 

i.    46 

vii.  17      -      i.    87 

„     20   -      i. 

51 

xiii.  5 

i.  166 

„     18 

i.    46 

>.    22       -      i.    23 

xxv.  1       -      i 

82 

xiv.  14,  15 

i.    91 

„     26 

i.    42 

xi.  22        -      i.    33 

»     41     -    ii. 

8 

xx.  5 

i.  241 

xl.  15-24 

i.      8 

„  22       -    ii.    11 

2  Samuel 

„    16,  17 

i.  187 

,,23 

i.      9 

xii.  9        .    ii.    23 

2  Chronicles. 

xii.  1,  2    - 

i.    57 

xiii.  20     -      i.  227 

v.  24         -     i 

88 

iii.  16 
xi.  21 

xxv.  11,  12 
xxvi.  10   - 
xxxi.  16  - 

i.    96 
i.    45 
i.  195 
i.  136 

i.  228 

„  1-32    - 

i.    58 

xv.  17      _      i.    23 

vi.  6         -     i 
ix.  8         -     i 
xvi.  9       -      i 

94 
12 
12 

Psalms, 
ix.  13        -      i.    65 

xvi.  23      -      i.    11 

„    32      -    ii.    93 
„    „      -    ii.  267 

xvii.  2,  19       i 
„    1H     -      i 

95 

104 

xv.  80 
xviii.  33   - 

i.    60 

i.    27 

xix.  11      .      i.    11 
tx.  4         -    ii.    37 

xviii.  8     -      i 

150 

Nehemiah. 

!!              )>       " 

i.    29 

;,\iii  31,  32   i.    63 

xxi.  9       -      i 

95 

xxiii.  4     - 

ii.    55 

,    32     -      i.    65 

„    19     -      i. 

211 

i.  1     -     - 

i.  119 

xxxii.  9    - 

i.    16 

xxv.  11     -      i.    83 

xxii.  34    -      i 

27 

viii.  13     - 
„   15      - 
xiii.  15 

ii.  161 

xxxvii.  35 

i.    94 

„    23      -      i.  211 

1  Kings. 

i.  120 

ii.    46 

xxxix.  11 

xiii.  1,2  - 

i.    75 
i.    29 

xxvi.  2     -      i.    49 
xxviii.  15        i.      5 

ii.  19        -     i 

282 

Esther. 

xiv.  8       - 

i.  110 

xxx.  15    -      i.    61 

iii.  16-22       ii 

67 

i.  10-22    - 
ii.  7 
„  15 

i.  285 

lvi.  8 

ii.    19 

„   24      -      i.    26 

iv.  24        -      i 

158 

i.  120 

lviii.  4-6  - 

i.    65 

„   26      -      i.    26 

„  2-5        ••      i 

83 

i.  285 

»    8      - 

i.    60 

„   27      -      i.    67 

„  28       -     i 

16 

„  17 
iii.  1 

i.  285 
i.  285 

lxxii.  8     - 

i.  147 

„  28        i.  59.  74 

vii.  18,  21      i 

96 

lxxiv.  14 

i.    59 

„  52      -      i.  213 

„    19-26         i 

119 

„   2 

ii.    53 

lxxviii.  45 

i.    60 

xxxi.  6     -      i.  Ill 

x.  22        -      i 
„  2S,  29  -     i 

46 

10 

„  15 
iv.  14 

i.  28-5 
i.  285 

»      45 

i.    61 

i.    70 

Ecclesiastes. 

xii.  11-14       i 

72 

v.  2 

i.  285 

„       46 

i.    00 

x.  1          -     i.    71 

xvii.  1-6  •      i 

37 

vii.  10 

i.  285 

lxxx.  13 

i.    32 

xi.  1          -    ii.    25 

xviii.        -      i 

1 75 

viii.  10 

i.    19 

,,      5 

ii.    23 

„  4          -    ii.    37 

xix.  4,  5   -      i 

92 

„  15-17 

ix.  20-22 

i.  285 

lxxxiv.  3 

i.    48 

.,  12        -      i.    57 

xx.  27       -      i 

24 

i.  285 

.,      4 

i.    49 

xii.  5        -      i.    97 

„    39,40      ii 

97 

,.       6 

i.    91 

„    7         -    ii.    31 

xxi.          -      i 
„    15,16      i 

250 
232 

Job 

i.  15 

i.  223 

xc.'l       "  - 

i.  193 
i.    2 

Song  of  Sol. 

„    19     -     i 

12 

ii.  6 

ii.  237 

xcL  1 

i.    27 

i.  5            -    ii.    14 

xxii.  38    -      i 

12 

iv.  19       - 

i.    75 

xcii.  10     - 

i.      9 

„  8           -     i.    24 

Vol.  II—  20 


302 


INDEX    OF    TEXTS. 


i.  12 

i.    38 

xxxiii.  4          i.    66 

Daniel. 

Haggai. 

„  14 

i.  121 

„     12        i.  100 

„  15 

i.    38 

„     15, 16  i.    27 

iii.  6-19    -      i.      5 

ii.  23 

ii.    31 

ii.  1 
„  2,  16    - 

i.    29 
i.  118 

xxxiv.  6,  7     i.      9 
„     11    -      i.    36 

iv.  30       -      i.  250 
vii.  3        -      i.  147 
„    5        -     i.      6 
„    6        -     i.      7 

Zechariah. 

„3 

i.    82 

xxxv.  1    -      i.  117 

x.  4 

ii.    15 

>,4 

ii.    90 

„    2     -     i.  174 

xiv.  20     - 

i.    11 

„9 

»11         " 

i.    38 
i.  213 

xxxvii.  36      i.    31 
xxxviii.  14      i.    39 

x.  4         ••     i.  164 
Hosea. 

Malachi. 

„14 

i.    38 

xl.  31        -  i.  34,  35 

ii.  6          -    ii.    37 
viii.  1       -      i.    35 
ix.  10       -      i.    82 
xi.  11       -      i.    39 
xiii.  7       -      i.      7 
„     8       -      i.      5 
xiv.  5       -      i.  118 
„             -      i.    80 
„  5-7    -     i.  205 
,,6       -     i.    77 

ii.  14,  15  - 

ii.    26 

„15 

ii.    47 

xlvi.  3      -      i.    33 

iii.  17 

i.  203 

iv.  5         i. 

29,  118 

„   11      -      i.    34 

iv.  3 

ii.     5 

„  13       - 

„  14 

i.  121 
i.  108 

li.  8           -      i.    75 
liii-            -      i.  262 

Matthew. 

v.  1.5 

i.    77 

„  7         -     i.    20 

ii.  11  *      - 

i.  Ill 

vi.  2,  3     - 
„4 

i.  118 
ii.    90 

lvi.  9-11    -    ii.    15 
lxiii.  3      -    ii.    47 

iii.  4 

i.  109 
i.    67 

„  10 
„  12 

ii.    90 
ii.    87 

lxv.  25     -      i.    62 
lxvi.  17    -      i.    31 

i'v.  15       - 

i.    92 

i.  128 

vii.  2 

i.  118 

„  24,25- 

ii.    28 

„  5 

i.  174 

Jeremiah. 

Joel. 

vi.  11 

ii.    25 

i.  1-12      -      i.    66 

,,.28 

i.  119 

Isaiah. 

ii.  23        -     i.    18 

„  17          -    ii.    43 

vii.  6 

i.    32 

i.  3 

i.    23 

v.  17        -     i.  257 

ii.  5           -     i.    67 

,, 

i.    33 

vii.  32      -     i.    36 

„  8-10      -     i.    67 

viii.  23     - 

ii.    29 

ii.  13 
,,16 

i.    91 
ii.    46 

viii.  7        -      i.    49 
,,    „        -      i.    51 

iii.  18       -      i.    86 

„     28-34 
„    30      - 

i.  63 
i.    32 

"  i'A 

ii.  128 

xi.  8         -      i.    64 

Amos. 

x.  29 

i.    48 

„  19 

i.    15 

„  13       -      i.    29 

v.  12        -      i.  121 

xi.  7-19    - 

i.  257 

„  20 

ii.    30 

„  16       -     i.    80 

vi.  12       -      i.    11 

xii.  24      - 

i.  256 

iii.  7 

ii.    23 

xvii.  11     -i.  44,  51 

vii.  14      -      i.    88 

.,    37       - 

i.  257 

„  18-24 

ii.      5 

„     14     -      i.  139 

viii.  8       -      i.  203 

xiii.  4 

ii.    48 

v.  26 

„28 

ii.    90 
i.    11 

xix.  6       -      i.    36 
xx.  30       -    ii.    47 

Jonah. 

„     8       - 
„      13    - 

i.  103 
i.    57 

vi.  5 

i.  147 

xxiv.  2     -      i.  ■  82 

i-               -      i.  256 

„     25-30 

i.  107 

„  13 

i.    94 

xxv.  34,  35     i.    21 

„  4           -      i.  211 

xvii.  20    - 

i.    88 

vii.  18 

i.    71 

xlviii.  38  -      i.    47 

„17         -      i.    63 

„      27    - 

i.    63 

„  ^3 

i.  100 

„      40       ii.    35 

ii.  10        -      i.    63 

xix.  24     - 

i.    19 

viii.  8 

i.    35 

iv.  6-10    -     i.  257 

xxi.  19-30 

i.    83 

ix.  1 
,,  io      - 

i.  128 
i.    89 

Lamentations. 

Mieah. 

,.     33     - 
xxiii.  24  - 

ii.  46 
i.    19 

x.  18 

ii.    90 

iii.  10       -      i.      5 

i.  8           -     i.    47 

xxiv.  17  - 

ii.    17 

xi.  6 

i.      7 

„27        -     i.    23 

„13         -     i.    16 

„       28   - 

ii.    91 

„  7 

i.     5 

v.  18        -      i.    13 

iv.  4         -      i.    83 

„       41   - 

ii.    22 

.,  8,  9     - 

i.    65 

vi.  7         -    ii.  155 

xxvi.    5   - 

ii.    68 

„  io 

ii.    90 

Ezekiel. 

vii.  14      -    ii.    3S 

„       24   - 

i.    44 

xiii.  11      - 

i.    59 

„    17        -      i.    62 

47   - 

ii.    68 

xxii.  23-25 

ii.    15 

iii.  24       -      i.  267 

Nahum. 

xxviii.  13 

ii.  171 

xxiv.  20    - 

i.    50 

xii.  6      -      i.    101 

xxv.  38    - 

i.    39 

xvi.  49      -    ii.    23 

i.  10         -     i.  100 

Mark. 

xx  vii.  1    - 

i.    59 

xxiv.  17-22  ii.    24 

iii.  15       -      i.    66 

i.  6 

i.    67 

„    29   - 

i.    59 

xxvi.  14   -    ii.  119 

Habakkuk. 

i.    92 

xxviii.  23-2£ 

i.    47 

xxvii.  22,  38    i.  77 

i.  14,  15   -     i.    57 

iii.  19       -      i.    27 

ii.  17       - 

ii.    51 

„    25-29 

i.  112 

xxix.  3, 4  -      i.    59 

xiii.  35     - 

i.    44 

„     27 

i.  105 

„    4,5-      i.    57 

xiv.  3 

i.  109 

xxx.  14    - 

i.    40 

xxxi.  3-9  -      i.    94 

Zephaniah. 

„    30     - 

i.    44 

„    24      - 

i.    22 

xxxiv.  29       i.    77 1 

ii.  14        -     i.    36 

xv.  23      - 

i.  Ill 

INDEX    OF    TEXTS. 


303 


i.  11        -  i 

„  63         -  i 

„  80         -  i. 

ii.  8         -  ii 

v.  4-9      -  i 

vii.  5        -  ii 

»    ^  oo  •  H 

„  24-33  -  i 

x.  3         -  i 

„  14        -  i 

xi.  12      -  i 

xii.    7      -  i 

„    12      -  ii 

„  24  -  i 
„  27  -  i 
„  54  -  i 
xiii.  1  -  i 
„  6,7  -  i. 
„     12     -     i. 

xiv.  17  -  ii. 
xv.  15  -  i. 
,,  16  -  i. 
xvii.  6-9  -     i. 

„  37  -  ii. 
xviii.  30  -  i. 
xix.  4       -     i. 

xxii.  11,  12  ii. 

„  32  -  ii. 
xxiii.  6  -  i. 
„       34  -     i. 

John, 

iii.  8  -  ii. 
,,  12        -    ii. 

iv.  20  -  ii. 
vi.  26  -  ii. 
vii.  41,  42  i. 
viii.  56     -     i. 


73 

73 

■IS 

29 

37 

119 

211 

129 

,    83 

.    13 

,    60 

.    33 

.    92 

.    88 

.    91 

,267 

.    88 

17 

2-10 

120 

44 


x.  23        -  i.  213 

xiii.    5     -  ii.      8 

33     -  i.    44 

xv.  1,2-  i.    79 

5        -  i.    79 

xviii.  13-18  ii.    68 

„       18  -  i.  213 

„       27  -  i.    44 

xix.  29     -  i.    98 

xxi.  3-8  -  i.    63 

Acts, 

iii.  19-26  ii.  250 

vii.  43      -  ii.  132 

viii.  27     -  i.  283 

ix.  1-14    -  i.  272 

„  5         -  i.    23 

xii.  15      -  ii.  235 

xv.  21       -  ii.  281 

xvii.  19-34  ii.    6S 

„      27    -  i.    41 

xix.  11,  12  ii.    29 

„     35      -  ii.  116 
xxvii.  14-44  i.  211 

xxviii.  3  -  i.    64 

Romans, 

i.  20,23    -  i.    71 


i.    65 
i.    64 

i.  267 
i.    80 


ii.  13 
iii.  13 
x.  10 
xi.  17 
xiii.  12 


1  Corinthians, 
i.  21  -    ii.  131 

„25  -  i.  47 
iii.  19  -  i.  47 
v.  1-4      -    ii.  147 


ix.  9         -     i.    23 
xv.  36-41      ii.  259 

2  Corinthians, 
vi.  7  -    ii.    83 

xi.  24       -    ii.    72 

Galatians. 
v.  20        -    ii.  135 

Ephesians. 
iv.  24       -      i.  21 8 
v.  15        -     i.    17 
vi.  11-17  -    ii.    83 

Philippians. 
i.  21         -    ii.    31 
ii.  19       -      i.    31 

Colossians. 
iii.  5         -     i.    31 
„  10       -      i.  218 

1  Thessalonians. 
v.  8  -    ii.    83 

2  Thessalonians. 
iv.  13-21  -     i.  213 

2  Timothy. 

iii.  11       -    ii.  117 
iv.  17       -     i.      3 

Hebrews, 
i.  14         -    ii.  235 
ii.    7        -     i- 218 
„  10         -    ii.    90 
iv.15       -     i.    17 


2         -  i.  209 

vi.  4-8     -  i.  100 

vii.  28      -  i.  269 

ix.  13-15-  ii.  155 

xi.  19       -  i.  229 

„  27       -  i.    65 


James. 


i.    27 


2  Peter. 


ii.  5 
„  21 
„22 


i.  220 
ii.  125 
i.    33 


iv.  8  -  ii.    90 

v.  20  -  ii.  224 

„  21  -  i.    31 

Revelation. 

i.  13  -  i.  273 

iv.  6  -  i.  147 

„  11  -  i.  278 

xi.  3-10  -  i.    73 

„  5  -  i.    73 

„  9  -  i.    67 

„  32  -  i.  239 

xii.  14  -  i.    35 

xiii.  1  -  i.  147 

„    2  -  i.      5 

xv.  2  -  i.  147 

xvi.  13  -  i.    60 

„    16  -  i.  185 

xxi.  9  -  ii.  288 

„    22  -  ii.  159 

xxii.  15  -  i.    12 


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scholars  for  the  interpretation  of  the  text.  But  in  the  commentary  it- 
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Reasons  for  becoming  a  Methodist 

By  Rev  I.  Smith,  for  some  Years  a  Member  of  the  Close-Corn* 
munion  Calvinist  Baptist  Church.  Including  a  brief  Account  of 
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edition,  with  some  improvements.  Brother  Smith  was  formerly  a  Calvin- 
istic  Close-Communion  Baptist,  but  being  placed  in  circumstances  obliging 
him  to  consider  the  principles  he  professed  to  believe,  he  was  led  to  re- 
nounce them.  He  subsequently  joined  the  Methodists,  and  became  a 
preacher.  This  book  develops  the  reasons  which  influenced  his  action  in 
the  premises,  and  they  are  well  stated.  Preachers  who  are  molested  by 
Baptist  influences,  will  find  this  work  just  the  thing  to  circulate.  W» 
have  put  it  upon  our  list  to  extend  its  usefulness,  more  than  to  make 
money  out  of  it. 


The  Pioneers  of  the  West; 

Or,  Life  in   the  Woods.     By  W.  P.  Strickland. 

12mo.,  pp.  403. 

This  decidedly  popular  book,  which  sketches  to  the  life  the  Pioneer  Ex- 
plorers, Settlers,  Preachers,  Hunters,  Lawyers,  Doctors,  School  Teacher*, 
»nd  Institutions  of  the  West,  is  meeting  with  an  extensive  sale. 


The  True  Woman; 

Or,  Life  and  Happiness  at  Home  and  Abroad.     By  Jesse  T. 
Peck,  D.D.,  Author  of  "  The  Central  Idea  of  Christianity.'' 
12mo.,  pp.  400. 

Gilt  edges 

— Gilt  edges 

Morocco 

In  this  volume  the  author  has  illustrated  his  ideal  of  female  cnaraotef 
y  a  series  of  didactic  precepts  and  familiar  examples.  His  standard  ii 
lot  taken  from  the  prevailing  customs  and  opinions  of  society,  but  from 
the  highest  teachings  of  Christian  ethics.  In  his  remarks  on  the  intel- 
lectual cultivation  of  woman,  he  condemns  novel-reading  in  decided 
terms,  regarding  it  as  a  "  crime,  murderous  to  the  heart,  the  intellect, 
and  the  body ;"  while  he  as  warmly  recommends  the  perusal  of  literary 
periodicals,  and  insists  on  having  access  to  at  least  one  daily  01  weeklji 
newspaper.  The  work  is?written  with  great  earnestness  and  feeling,  witi 
ia  occisional  exuberance  of  expression. — N.  Y.  Tribune. 


BOOK  OONOEEN  PUBLICATIONS, 

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JUVENILE. 

The  Sweet  Story  of  Old. 

Illustrated.    Muslin 

My  Holiday  Gift. 

Square  octavo.     A  beautiful  book  for  children. 
Illustrated.     Muslin 
Do.  Gilt  . . 

Pretty  Stories  for  Little  Boys. 

Square  12mo.    Muslin 

Pictorial  Catechism. 

Pictorial  Catechism  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Square  8vo.    Muslin 

Pictorial  Gatherings. 

Pictorial  Gatherings  for  the  Young. 
Square  8vo.    Muslin 

Six  Steps  to  Honor. 

Six  Steps  to  Honor ;  or,  Great  Truths  Illustrated. 
Square  12mo.    Muslin 

Child's  Sabbath-Day  Book. 

Square  12mo.    Muslin 
This  is  a  book  which  corresponds  well  to  its  title,  and  is  juwt  whal 
every  Christian  parent  will  wish  to  have  his  children  read  often  and 
preserve  long. 

Little  Frank  Harley. 

Square  12mo.     Pictorial  cover 
Just  the  book  to  please  young  children,  containing  numerous  en- 
gravings and  word-pictures. 

Here  and  There; 

Or,  Earth  and  Heaven  Contrasted. 
Paper  covers 
Mostly  composed  of  appropriate  Scripture  quotations,  accompanied 
by  emblematic  illustrations  and  suitable  verses  of  pcttry. 


BOOK  CONCERN  PUBLICATIONS, 

605  Broadway,  IVcw  York. 

Pilgrim's  Progress. 

"With  numerous  illustrations. 

12ino.     Imitation  morocco,  gilt ..«•• 


Ministry  of  Life. 


Muslii 
Gilt . . 


My  Sister  Margaret. 


Illustrated.     Muslin.., 
Do.  Full  calf . 


Rainbow  Side. 


Muslin 
Gilt . . . 


Itinerant  Side; 

Or,  Pictures  of  Life  in  the  Itinerancy.     With  engravings. 
Muslin 

Young  Lady's  Counselor. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  Wise. 

Muslin 

Gilt  i 


Young  Man's  Counselor. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  Wise. 

Muslin 

Gilt  edges 

Pleasant  Pathways. 

By  Rev.  Daniel  Wise. 

Muslin , 

Gilt 

Calf,  gilt _      

Pearls  for  the  Little  Ones. 

18mo.    Muslin 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  interest  of  this  new  work.  Thousand! 
have  been  sold,  and  thousands  more  will  be.  It  is  a  perfect  tabe 
with  all  classes. 

Hidden  Treasure. 

Illustrated.    Muslin «_ 


BOOK  OONOEEN  PUBLICATIONS, 

805  Broadway,  New  York. 

Life  and  Times  of  Asbury. 

The  Pioneer  Bishop ;  or,  the  Life  and  Times  of  Francis  As- 
bury.    By  ~W.  P.  Strickland.     With  an  Introduction  b] 
Nathan  Bangs,  D.D. 
12mo.     Half  calf 

Full  calf,  gilt 
Morocco 

Harmony  of  the  G-ospels. 

Harmony  and  Exposition  of  the  Gospels.     By  James  Strong, 
S.T.D.     Beautifully  illustrated  by  Maps  and  Engravings. 
8vo.    Sheep 

Clarke's  Commentary. 

Imperial  8vo. ,  6  vols.    Turkey  mor. ,  full  gilt,  and  antique 

Hymns. 

A  variety  of  sizes  and  styles  of  binding. 

Hymns  and  Tunes. 

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Biographical  Sketches. 

8vo.     Imitation  morocco 
This  splendid    book   contains   sketches    of  Weslev,  M'sfendree, 
Emory,   Roberts,  Hedding,  Fletcher.   Garrettson,   Fisk,   Pickering. 
Levings,  Olin,  and  Bunting,  and  a  sketch  of  the  Old  New  England 
Conference,  and  is  most  superbly  illustrated. 

The  True  Woman. 

By  J.  T.  Peok,  D.D. 

12mo.    Muslin,  gilt 
Morocco 

Friendships  of  the  Bible. 

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Silk 
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friendship  that  are  found  in  the  Book  of  books. 


Ministering  Children: 


A  Story  showing  how  even  a  Child  may  he  as  a  MinisteiUig 
Angel  of  Love  to  the  Poor  and  Sorrowful. 
IU  istrated.    Muslin 
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Story  of  a  Pocket  Bible. 

Illustrated. 

Missionary  in  many  Lands. 

By  t^.uwin  House. 
Illustrated. 

Missionary  among  Cannibals. 


The  Christian  Maiden. 

Memorial*  «f  Miss  Eliza  Hessel. 


The  Object  of  Life: 

A  Narrative  illustrating  the  Insufficiency  of  the  "World 
the  Sufficiency  of  Christ.     With  four  Illustrations. 

Mother's  Mission. 


Poet  Preacher. 

Illustrated. 

Palissy  the  Huguenot  Potter. 

Illustrated. 

Lady  Huntingdon  Portrayed: 

Including  Brief  Sketches  of  some  of  her  Friends  and  Co 
laborers.  By  the  Author  of  "The  Missionary  Teacher, 
"  Sketches  of  Mission  Life,"  etc. 


Leaves  that  never  Fade ; 

Or,  Records  of  Divine  Teaching  and  Help. 
24jxo 


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Pearls  for  the  Little  Ones. 


Nothing  can  exceed  the  interest  of  this  new  work.  Thousand* 
have  been  sold,  and  thousands  more  will  be.  It  is  a  perfect  talk* 
with  all  classes. 

A  Winter  at  Woodlawn ; 

Or,  the  Armor  of  Light  Illustrated. 

The  Armor  of  Light,  the  Christian  armor,  is  "  illustrated"  by  fa- 
miliar conversations  wmch  occurred  in  the  social  circle  at  Woodlawn 
during  a  visit  from  some  relatives,  who  are  the  principal  actors  in  tha 
little  story.  The  main  subject  is  beautifully  elucidated,  while  the 
book  abounds  with  pleasing  incident,  and  is  profusely  illustrated. 

Boys  and  Girls'  Olio. 

Boys  and  Girls'  Illustrated  Olio. 
One  hundred  Illustrations 

A  book  full  of  fine  pictures,  nice  stories:  and  instructive  reading  on 
various  subjects.  It  is  suitable  for  a  gift  or  reward  bock  at  any 
season,  but  has  a  little  special  adaptation  to  the  holidays,  commencing 
<ia  it  does  with  a  piece  on  Christmas  and  Christmas  carols. 

The  Star  of  Bethlehem. 

The  Star  of  Bethlehem,  and  other  Stories. 


The  Good  Shepherd. 

The  Good  Shepherd,  and  other  Stories.     (Eight  in  all.) 

Boys  and  Girls'  Bird-Book. 

The  Boys  and  Girls'  Illustrated  Bird-Book. 

Historical  Tales. 

Historical  Tales  for  Young  American  Protestants.    Beaata 

fully  Illustrated. 


Little  Songs  for  Little  People. 


BOOK  CONCERN  PUBLICATIONS, 

805  Broadway,  New  York. 


Quotations  from  the  Poets. 

Moral  and  Religious  Quotations  from  the  Poets.     Compiled 
by  Rev.  William  Rioe,  A.M.     Large  octavo,  with  a  frontis- 
piece. 
Sheep 

Half  calf,  marbled  edges,  with  two  plates. 
Koyal  octavo  ed.,  tinted  paper,  nine  steel  plates,  mor.,  gilt 
Do.  do.  do.  extra  gilt 

A  volume  rich  in  its  gathered  sweetness  from  the  wide  field  01 
English  literature.  We  recognize  here  many  familiar  passages,  somo 
old  bits  of  poetry,  and  gems  from  the  later  minstrels  who  have  mad  a 
melody  in  our  own  noble  mother  tongue. — iV.  Y.  Evangelist. 

We  have  seen  many  dietionaries  of  quotations,  but  this  surpasses 
them  all  in  extent  and  system. — N.  Y.  Observer. 

It  is  the  first  book  of  the  kind  that  has  appeared  for  many  years 
and  is  of  rare  excellence.    It  meets  a  longfelt  want. — Boston  Recorder 
A  unique  and  valuable  gift-booh  appropriate  to  all  seasons. — Spring- 
field Republican. 

He  must  be  a  dainty  epicure  who  will  not  find  abundant  gratifica- 
tion for  his  intellectual  palate  in  this  copious  and  well-ordered  feast 
of  fat  things. — Ziori's  Herald. 

The  most  complete  and  well-arranged  work  of  the  kind  in  the 
English  language. — The  World. 


New  History  of  Methodism. 

The  History  of  the  Religious  Movement  of  the  Eighteenth 
Century,  called  Methodism,  considered  in  its  different  De 
nominations!  Forms,  and  its  Relations  to  British  and  Amer- 
ican Protestantism.  'By  Abel  Stevens,  LL.  D.  Three 
Volumes.  From  the  Origin  of  Methodism  to  its  Hundreth 
Anniversary. 

12mo. 

8vo.    Hlustrated, 

Hibbard  on  the  Psalms. 

The  Psalms  Chronologically  Arranged,  with  Historical  Intro- 
ductions, and  a  General  Introduction  to  the  whole  Baok 
By  F.  G.  Hibbaku. 
8vo.     Half  calf 

Whedon's  Commentary. 

A  Commentary  on  the  Gospels  of  Matthew  and  Mark.     In* 
tended  for  Popular  Use.     By  D.  D.  Whedon,  D.D. 
12mo.    Muslin 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL    PUBLICATIONS, 

805  Broadway,  New  York. 

A  Mother's  Gift. 

A  Mother's  Gift  to  her  Little  Ones  at  Home. 
12mo. 

Gilbert  Harland ; 

Or,  Good  in  Everything.     Being  the  History  of  a  City  Boy. 

Childhood ;  or,  Little  Alice. 

A  simple  story,  containing  many  a  good  moral,  adapted  to  the 
capacities  of  children.  Alice  is  no  heroine  of  a  fairy  tale,  but  in  the 
better  acts  of  her  every-day  life  she  could  be  imitated  by  many  a 
little  girl  who  is  trying  to  be  good. 

A  String  of  Pearls. 

Embracing  a  Scripture  Verse  and  a  Pious  Reflection  for  Every 
Day  in  the  Year. 

This  book  is  a  valuable  and  elegant  daily  companion.  Among  tha 
"Reflections"  we  find  gems  from  the  very  best  authors. 

Henry's  Birthday; 

Or,  Beginning  to  be  a  Missionary. 

Henry  was  a  lad  of  fourteen,  and  after  learning  his  surroundings, 
etc.,  we  have  a  detail  of  the  good  that  he  accomplished  on  his  birth- 
day, which  he  had  devoted  to  benevolent  undertakings.  We  find 
here  much  instruction  about  the  motives,  manner,  and  result  of  char- 
itable giving. 

Harry  Budd ; 

Or,  the  Historv  of  an  Orphan  Boy. 


A  good  story  of  a  good  boy  from  childhood  almost  to  manhood. 
The  book  is  got  up  in  superior  style,  and  many  a  little  fellow  has  h 
laid  away  among  his  treasures.  Harry  Budd  is  a  good  model  foi 
boys  to  imitate,  and  the  story  is  so  well  written  that  everybody  likes 
to  read  it. 

The  G-reat  Journey : 

A  Pilgrimage  through  the  Valley  of  Tears  to  Mount  Zion,  the 
City  of  the  Living  God,  made  by  a  Young  Pilgrim. 

This  is  a  sort  of  Pilgrim's  Progress  for  the  young,  probably  one  of 
the  best  imitations  of  Bunyan  extant.  The  cuts  are  of  a  superior 
finish,  and  it  makes  a  neat  volume. 


